Two and a half years without Naruto
by AliaAtreidesBr
Summary: When Sasuke and Naruto are both gone, what is left to Kakashi and Sakura in Konoha? Takes place between part one and part two. Sakura feels the weight of loneliness, while Kakashi must deal with his guilt. Will they find consolation in each other? KakaSak
1. Chapter 1

Two and a half years without Naruto

**Day one**

_Sakura _

Hesitantly, Sakura moved away from the window.

"Gone… They are both gone…"

If she looked again, maybe she could still see him through the glass. Konoha's Hospital building was tall enough for her to see beyond city walls, and her eyes could follow the main road for a mile or more. If she dared look, she would see him. His uneasy and agitate figure jumping around, the discernible blond hair, the not discret at all orange outfit, and the strong and firm man walking side by side with him… Yes, she would see him, but her eyes would get wet, tears would come, and, worst of all, she might not be strong enough to just let him go.

"Naruto…"

A strange feeling consumed her, one that she had never experienced before: solitude.

* * *

_Kakashi _

The picture of his team seven laid untouched in its place, but, had Kakashi reunited a little more courage, it would have found a new home inside a closed drawer. It was sure painful look at those young faces right now, Sakura´s beautiful smile, Sasuke´s annoyed look towards Naruto, an unsatisfied Naruto looking back. And him, of course. There he was, happy and confident, their sensei, their guide, their master…

"A failure."

And a great one was.

His fault? He knew he couldn't have stopped him, could he? He did all he could for Sasuke. He trained him. With all his heart. Taught him how to use that sharingan, taught him how to be faster, stronger, smarter. He had even taught him his Chidori, his original jutsu, he taught him _that_! And he told him… He tried to make him understand that all the Itachi thing was… was… was wrong, was vain, was hopeless! That's what it is, right?

It didn't stop the boy from going.

Even if it wasn't _his _fault that Sasuke left, well, other things were. He was so worried about Sasuke – not without reason, he pointed out to himself – that he neglected Naruto and Sakura. Oh, he could excuse himself saying he couldn't do as much for them as he could do for Sasuke, but he knew he had failed them. At this moment, not as a teacher, since, right now, they were better with Jiraiya and Tsunade - that's for sure! - but as a friend. He wasn't able to go to them ever since Sasuke left, and now, as he was sitting quietly in his home, Naruto was going with Jiraiya to be away for a long, long time, while Sakura was probably working hard in the hospital under Tsunade´s supervision. Naruto. Sakura. Once his students and friends, children he looked after; now, the kids he wasn't able to protect and that would walk away from him.

"I desearve nothing more…"

That was his life, hasn't always been like that? Alone. Always alone. Back to his trainning and his missions, back to what he really was: just a ninja, nothing more.

* * *

**Day two**

"Wipe off those tears…"

Tsunade took her time looking at the skinny girl standing before her.

"Im not crying…", mumbled the girl, a flash of anger passing quickly through her face, "Its sweat!"

"Of course it is…", she meant to sound like she didn't belive her, despite the fact that she recognized that the girl was tired, and not upset.

"Hokage-sama, I'm telling you…"

"I know.", she interrupted the sentence with a rough gesture of her hand. In truth, Tsunade was preoccupied with her new student. She was glad to have her, being her as talented as she was, but she also knew Sakura couldn't be taking it as easily as she was making it appears. After all, not only had Sasuke left on his own, but now Naruto was gone with Jiraiya, and she was no longer Kakashi´s student. And if all that was not enough, the girl was working harder than ever – or so Tsunade thought – to learn what was a completely new way to use her chakra. Such commitment and dedication were touching, but also dangerous. Tsunade feared the girl wouldn't know when to stop.

"What is it, Hokage-sama?"

Sakura looked so different from the girl who entered her office just a few weeks ago… Once an unsure and insecure girl, now this young woman who has the eyes of someone who knows just what she wants… and what she needs.

"I heard you have stayed in the hospital last night."

Sakura held the look of her sensei into her's.

"I did, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade took a long breath.

"Didn't I send you home last night?"

"Yes, you did, Hokage-sama."

"Then why…?"

She never ended the sentence. Tsunade held her words, her mind traveling through memories concerning a strange boy, one that had recently left Konoha with her old necklace around his neck. A boy that would never give up. One that never accepted defeat. The kid who reawakened her Will of Fire, her love for this village that her grandfather had founded, her will to live again a ninja life.

"What is it, Hokage-sama?", repeated Sakura.

Tsunade sighed.

"Sakura."

"Yes?"

"You must promise to me that you are not going to put yourself and your health in danger, hear me?", she waited for the girl to nod in concordance. "Otherwise, I wont teach you anymore!"

Tsunade watched as the girl absorbed this new lesson, eyes widely open and then back to normal, understandament flowing through her. Finnaly, Sakura said:

"As you wish, sensei."

"Yes, that's what I wish." Tsunade turned her eyes back to the papers she had on her desk, confident that it was all settled between her and the new student: "Now, you will go home and you will rest."

"But…"

When the Hokage moved slightly her head in her direction, Sakura closed her arguments and just bowed, in complete obedience. Tsunade added:

"Just be here tomorrow, not before eight."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"Good." She dismissed the girl with a hand gesture, her atitude the one of a distracted young woman, but her thoughts were those of an experimented teacher: _"Very good… Yes, she is special, this one, even more than Kakashi said. Don't worry, Sakura, I will turn you into a strong and powerful thing… And when you meet him again, this boy you love, you will be prepared… to what ever happens!"_

_

* * *

_

It was by no coincidence that Kakashi turned out to be just across the street when Sakura came home. He had decided what to do during a sleepless night, and, in the morning, after leaving the Hokage's office, he just waited for her.

She didn't see him, not at first, actually, not until he touched her shoulder with a light movement. Yes, she seemed distracted.

"Oh…" Her reaction was surprise.

Kakashi returned his hand to his pocket,

"Yo, Sakura…"

"Kakashi-sensei… I… I wasn't…"

"Yeah…" He interrupted. You wasn't expecting to see me, right? No, I suppose not. How one should feel about that? He was used to not being expected… Always surprising… However, weren't he and Sakura close? Does she _never_ expect to see him, unless in those old days, in their trainning sessions? Well… He was never too good in showing up on time.

Sakura had her eyes on him, evidently taking notice of the backpack he was carring, along with others travelling equipments.

"Are you going somewhere?", she asked, her green eyes studing carefully her former sensei.

For a second, Kakashi felt his chest heavy with a feeling of inadequacy, even guilt. He felt sorry for her, he realized. Nevertheless, he answered her question.

"Yes. Yes, I'm going somewhere."

Silence fell between them.

_"Should I tell her?"_, considered Kakashi. He usually wasn't a person who shared information about his life and plans to others, but this was a special situation. As it was, the girl with pink hair in front of him was the closest thing to a family that he still had.

"Well…?", Sakura broke the silence.

He could tell she was a little annoyed. What was upsetting her? He leaving? Could be, yes. After all, Sasuke had left, in the most unpleasent situation. Then, Naruto, with no perspective of return for the next coupple years. Now… now was his turn. Was all that too much for her? She was a ninja, she was _supposed_ to get used to that. Right?

_"But she's also a kid…"_

And it wasn't like he was enjoying leaving her also.

"Well, Sakura, I might be off for a while."

She kept staring.

"In a mission?"

"But I came here to tell you that, if you need me, Hokage-sama knows how to find me."

No reactions on her part.

"I see. So, you are off on a mission?"

Of course, there was no point in lying. If he was going to answer it, better to do it with the truth.

"No, not really." He sighed. "No missions this time."

"I don't understand."

_"No, I don't suppose you do…"_ How to explain it to her? How could he make her understand that the best way for him to help was by leaving? She was a good girl. Oh, she desearved much more than just to be left behind by her best friends and teacher.

"There are things that I must do…", he simply added.

And he saw anxiety and urgency growing inside her and showing in her beautiful face.

"Are you going to look for… _him_?"

_"Him? Ah, Sasuke!"_

"No, Sakura, I'm not going to look for Sasuke… In a matter of fact, Im probably going to be on my own most of the time."

She studied him for a few moments, a vain effort on reading his reactions.

"You don't belive me", he declared, no signs of his disappointment showing in his voice.

She turned her face away from him.

Kakashi couldn't avoid a brief smile when confronted with this very young and feminine reaction. It was very charming and sweet, and, still, brought again sadness to his heart. He reached for her chin with his fingers, and gently forced her to look into his eyes again.

"Camon, Sakura… Would I lie to you?"

She, in return for the question, gave him a look that was full of indignation:

"Are you joking?"

So, ok, he _had_ lied one or two times before…

But he held her by her shoulders with both hands, and bent until his eyes met hers, as they were now face to face, closer than they had ever been.

"Listen", he said, trying to sound serius but not hard, "I would never lie to you in a situation like this. I know how you feel. I know it hurts." He couldn't belive what he was about to say: "I know what is like to lose one you love… or your friends", and he bit his lip. "It happened to me… Its happening right now."

Even though she wasn't crying, he could feel her trembling under his hands.

"Kakashi-sensei…"

"Yes?"

"Please, don't go!" Her arms reached for him, embracing him in a tight grasp. "Please, please, please, don't go!"

"Sakura…"

He held her against him, her head on his chest, his fingers lost in a cascade of pink hair, she nervously grasping to his clothes where her hands met with his back. _"Oh, no…!"_, he thought. What now? He honestly hoped that Sakura would be fine with he leaving, or, at least, not so upset. He even counted with a few tears and a sad goodbye, but he certainly never imagined she could ask him to stay. Because, in truth, he never thought she _cared_ that much.

"Please, sensei…"

"Sakura…" He looked down, trying to see the face she hid on his chest. "Please, understand… I… I need…"

But he couldn't.

He was about to tell her that he needed some time alone, away from all that, from the memories, from missions, from people, from guilty. He was about to say that, with the boys gone, with her as Tsunade's student, he was no longer needed. He was about to say that, right now, there was nothing for him in Konoha.

Fortunately, he couldn't.

Now, she was looking back at him, in silent expectation. Her eyes on his masked face, they both holding their breaths, a plead still hanging between them.

"What can I do to convince you to stay?"

Always silent, always alone. Always feeling responsible, but also always taking for granted the good things in his life.

Maybe it was again time for a few changes.

"Don't worry, Sakura. You did it already."


	2. Chapter 2

Well, first of all, thank you every one that was kind enough to read my work.

Second, I apologize for any mistakes: its my first fanfiction, and I don't know well how to edit my work and things like that. In this second chapter, I tried to correct some of the mistakes I saw in Chapter one. Also, I would like to say that this Chapter 2 is a little longer than Chapter 1, but not _too_ long, I hope. We have Kakashi, of course, Sakura, Tsunade and… well, you will see. I tried one or two jokes, all related to the manga/ anime. Lets see if worked.

Ah, readers: don't get scared. Im not going to go day by day of those two and a half years. Just these first three, I think. Than, I will skip some days, even months. We'll see.

Oh, of course, a late disclaimer: none of those characters belong to me. No, not even one.

* * *

_Day 3_

"Im glad to see you changed your mind…", Tsunade ended the statement with a rather sarcastic smile.

Kakashi just nodded his head, pretending he didn't listen the obviously ironic comment.

"Humm…?"

Tsunade laughed.

"Ah… Ok, Kakashi, as you will…" She opened a parchment that laid on her desk. "I take you no longer need that vacation you _begged_ me for…"

He scratched the back of his head. Oh, he knew she was ready to drown him into missions now, since the village needed desperately all jounins like him working full time. It had been really difficult to persuade her to give him some time away, even though she recognized he was having a hard time with the end of his team. He even had to tell her his plan.

_"I really don't intent to waste time, Hokage-sama. The Akatsuki, specially that Itachi, are a great danger to us…!"_

_"Now, hold on, Kakashi! We have more urgent matters to worry about than the Akatsuki… Like, for instance, all the missions we are receiving and the short number of shinobi…"_

_"With all due respect, Hokage-sama… I don't think there are any missions now, or for years to come, more important than to prepare for the next attack…!"_

_She hadnt taken very well his last comment:_

_"You listen to me, Hatake Kakashi! I know more than well what goes in your mind!" She pointed one of hers dangerous fingers at him, what made him tremble for a second or so. "Right now, you are thinking: 'Had I beaten up that Itachi kid, Sasuke would have never gone to Orochimaru… And Naruto could have stayed here, instead of going with Jiraiya… Every thing would turn out all right, if only I had been able to defeat him…'" She lowered her hand. "Am I right?"_

_He felt uneasy for the fact that she had been able to read him so easily. So, he just bowed and tried to excuse himself from her presence:_

_"I understand, Hokage-sama. Now, if you allow me…"_

_"I don't."_

_Tsunade was now looking outside her window, and considering her options. In front of her, the greatest ninja of Konoha on these days; she needed him desperately, his services, his leadership, his knowledges… but, more important, she needed him as an ally, and needed him in perfect conditions. What a waste would be to lose someone like Kakashi only because she pushed his loyalty too far, or because she obligated him to take unnecessary risks… No, he was too precious, she just couldn't take him for granted. Even in that state he was above all the others… Well, except for Gai or Shizune, maybe, but still…_

_She remembered that Jiraiya had warned her about Kakashi's sense of responsibility and his endless guilt. "He's at least as gifted as his father… and just as hard on himself as the White Fang was!" Too bad. That legendary hero, the White Fang, took his life; he did it because he wasn't able to live with failure. And his son, the boy he abandoned when he killed himself? "Oh", Jiraiya told her, "Kakashi's weakness is not different from his father's. He will do anything for his team! Even if it costs his life…"_

_"What do you intent to do if I give you what you ask?"_

_Itachi's eyes burned in Kakashi's mind. _

_"Training, of course."_

_The Hokage tapped her fingers on the wood of her desk. _

_"I see." She let a deep sigh escape. "So, no crazy rescue missions?"_

_"Oh, no!" He shaked his head. "Not at all!"_

_And thought: "No good in it… yet!"_

_"And this training… why cant it be done here?"_

_He answered immediately:_

_"Too many distractions."_

_"Oh, is it?"_

_"Old hags always bothering…"_

_She abruptly closed her hands in fists, but contained an explosion._

_"If you are joking already, I assume you feel better."_

_He said nothing. _

_Again she allowed her eyes and mind run through the window and to the mountain, where four stone faces looked at her. "Grandfather… Sensei… I could really use an advice right now…"_

_Out loud, she gave her verdict:_

_"Here is my decision, Kakashi…"_

_The man revealed no sign of tension or expectation._

_"You can have some time off. Go. Travel as you wish, do your training, be on your own for some time." She smiled. "Enjoy."_

_"I will, Hokage-sama." His heart was beating fast, like it hadn't for years. Truthfully, he never imagined she would allow him that._

_"But a few conditions!"_

_He raised his only visible brow. "Never easy, is it?"_

_"Don't worry, nothing much." Again she smiled, an almost inocent one. "First, I expect you back to Konoha in no more than two years, hear me? Counting from today, not a day more, understand?"_

_"I have no problems with that."_

_He wasn't expecting to stay away more than that, anyway. After all, they didn't have much time. Three years, that's what said Jiraiya. He would be back, so would Naruto, and team seven would search for Sasuke. Naruto, Sakura, and himself, of course. That was the plan. _

_"Its no joke, Kakashi. Don't go late on me, I will declare you a missing-nin!"_

_"I get it…"_

_"And second… That's personal…"_

_He shivered._

_"Go to Sakura, will you? Tell her you are leaving and…"_

_"I don't understand… I mean, I was going to, anyway."_

_"Really? Good, that's good… I wouldn't like to be the bearer of those news, you know, so I will hold you to that promise."_

_"Fine…"_

He had done as she asked, visited Sakura before leaving…

And there he was, again in her office, just as she planned, didn't her?

Kakashi was no fool, nor was Tsunade. She knew, of course, that Sakura would ask him to stay. And that he wouldn't have the heart to deny it. "_Ah, well, she is the Hokage, and not without reason…_"

After he promised Sakura he wasn't going any where, she had finally gone inside her house, assuring him she was going to rest and sleep, not letting herself worry about him or anything else. She looked so abandoned and tired, so much like he was feeling himself… Amazingly, that made him feel less lonely, the idea that they were sharing those feelings.

He spend that night on her house's roof, just watching the full moon and the village that he almost left.

Presently, he said:

"No, Hokage-sama… I don't need the _vacation_…"

"That's good, but I _am_ surprised."

"Konoha is home", he answered with the feeling that this was indeed true, "and it needs me."

"Nothing is more truthful than that, specially in these days…"

_"What is home"_, Tsunade reflected,_ "if not where are the people we care about?"_

"Ok, Kakashi, if that's all…"

"Actually, Hokage-sama", he gave a step forward, "I have one more thing to ask you."

Tsunade took a deep breath, while wondering when this Kakashi business would be resolved.

"Yes, yes, another request, is it? Arent you a little out of your head? I use to think you were more the type of guy who is quiet and patient…"

"I was… I mean, I am!"

But this kids, he thought about explaining to her like that, this kids really can change you. Oh, they are not quiet and patient at all… And, talking about requests, they are always wanting things from you. Specially the boys, even though they never tell you directly, you know, they are always trying to look tough. They want you to think that they can handle it, but, really, all that fighting spirit… Its because they want you, actually, me, to tell them they are great, they are doing fine, that I… that I like them. And I do. Not that I can say it. I cant. And Im sorry about that, now I am. I never told them… Not to the boys, not even to Sakura. Yes, I know, Im disturbed. How could I have never been able to tell that beatiful, sweet girl, that I really, really care about her? Its crazy, I know. Now… now she's all I have left, and I will not risk that… No, not her. So, yes, Im different now. At least a little bit different. Just enough to don't ruin things again.

"Say what you need, Kakashi."

"Yes. Of course." He made a brief pause, and then continued: "I wish, Hokage-sama, that, if possible, you didn't send me to missions far away from Konoha… I really wish I could spend most of my time in the village for the next few months… at least!"

She never intended to send him on a mission, not for a few weaks, but the request was intriguing, and instigated her to investigate a little more.

"Is this because of your training?"

"Well…"

"_Well_… what?"

"Well, yes, it is, but I have other reasons too" He quickly added, before she could ask anything else: "Personal reasons."

Tsunade supported her chin with both hands, and stared at him for what she considered a long time. She knew he wouldn't tell her anymore than he already did, and so she didn't waste her time asking.

"All right, Kakashi. If you are asking this, Im sure you have good reason." She nodded her head. "I trust your judgement."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama!" He was so relieved that even allowed himself a brief smile under the mask.

Tsunade, on the other hand, had a few more things in her mind:

"However", she said, imposing her voice in the most serius tone, "you will not be excused from D-rank missions, hear me?"

Kakashi sighed.

"No problem…"

Again she tapped her fingers on her desk, a sign Kakashi had already learned not to like.

"You know, Kakashi, I even had in mind a S-rank mission for you… But Im sure Gai will be glad to replace you."

Now she was testing him. "_What a difficult woman…"_, Kakashi thought, his eyes on the ceiling, his concentration in remaining calm.

"As you wish, Hokage-sama."

_"If I got every thing I wish for, none of my ninjas would have to feel as depressed and guilty as you feel now, Kakashi. Oh, well, that's life."_

"You may go, now…" She raised her hand, but subtly returned it to her chin: "Actually…"

_"Oh, no…"_

"… I think I might already have a mission for you…"

_"No, no, no, please, not what Im thinking…"_

"Your first D-rank, in a while, isnt it? I have a perfect one for you…"

_"Just don't send me…"_

"Yes, I comand you, Hatake Kakashi, to go…"

_"No…"_

" … fetch Gai for me. Yes, go and find Gai!"

_"Why? But why this? Why me?"_

"Now you are just being cruel…"

She smiled.

"Maybe. But that's your mission, never the less. Go. Quickly. I have an important S-rank wating for a great shinobi…"

Kakashi reached the door, saying just before closing it behind him:

"Yes, Naruto was right… You _are_ a crazy old hag…"

* * *

After Konoha's Hospital, there was no other place in the village where Sakura had spend more time in the last three days than the Ichiraku Ramen. 

She was not a big ramen fan, but the place brought good memories to her. It was Naruto's favorite place, and team seven went there frequently to eat, talk, or just to look for Naruto. It was strange not see him there, but the Ichiraku Ramen was nice, near the hospital, and the food was more than decent. So, she was already getting use to spend her lunch hour sitting there, with a bow of hot ramen and many pleasant memories.

"I knew I would find you here!"

She smiled.

"Lee-san… Good to see you!"

And she wasn't lying. Long gone were the days where she would call Rock Lee names like "Thick-brow", and would want nothing more than distance between them. Even though she still wouldn't date him, Sakura now considered him a good friend… and a great ninja. Not only he had saved her life, he in many occasions showed courage and a good heart. He even had tried to help Naruto and the others with Sasuke's rescue…

With that thought, the smile disappeared.

"Am I disturbing you?" a zealous Lee asked, a worried expression in his unusual features.

"Oh, no…" She forced the sadness out of her, trying to concentrate on the boy that so kindly talked to her. "Just remembered something. Nothing important..."

"I see."

"Don't worry about me, Lee-san… Im fine."

An enormous and shiny smile covered his face:

"Great! Just what I was wondering!"

"Really? Well, thank you for your preoccupation… You know, I have been training a lot, but, other than that, Im ok."

"Oh, yes…!" Lee's eyes went wide open: "You are now the Hokage's student!"

"Right…"

Sakura blushed a little. She hardly thought about it, but when she did, made her feel both uneasy and proud. Yes, she was now the apprentice of _the_Hokage,of the greatest ninja in the village. It was a great honor, she was aware of that, and still she wondered why Tsunade had taken her. After all, she was just… well, just _her_, Sakura, a bright girl, but not specially talented, not someone from a great clan, or who had anything special on her. Did she?

Kakashi always said she had great chakra control, but does it make her something great? Not compared to the only Uchiha survivor, or to crazy Naruto. Now, _they_ were something else! Nothing like her, who usually just stayed behind, always being protected. Even Lee had to protect her. And yes, by then, she had made a decision, the decision of being able to take care of herself and of those she loved. She promised that. Yet… She realized, when Sasuke left, that she was still helpless to protect him, or even Naruto – oh, she just felt _so_ terrible when Kakashi got back with him in that state… So hurted…

"Kakashi-senpai is probably sad, hum?" Wondered Rock Lee, interrupting her thoughts.

She lowered her eyes, remembering last night. _Sad?_

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, he has no students now…"

Sakura looked away from him, her attention on the bowl of ramen that was now cold and not very tasty. She never thought that Kakashi could be sad, or depressed, or even thinking about anything other than those stupid books, or his missions, or trainning. There was last night, yes, when he was… _nice_, yes, it was nice of him not to leave, for whatever reason he was leaving, _it wasn't important_, she thought then. It couldn't be, or he wouldn't have stayed, would he?

_Would he?_

Thinking about it, Sakura couldn't imagine why she had asked him, _begged_ him to stay. After all, she was a ninja. So was he. In ninja life, you are always losing people. You are always making sacrifices. She have had her share. And so did he…

However, even now, the idea of not having Kakashi to go to, not having him saying that everything was going to be fine, not seeing him around with an open book and a cool expression… It made her shiver, this thought of him not being around her, not there to protect her _just_ in time, not having him smile to her in the worst situations. _Kakashi-sensei_… He was the strongest man she had ever seen. The things she saw him do… It scared her, some times, how cold and deadly he could be. Yes, but also made her feel proud and safe. Strange feelings, that's what she had for him…

"Sakura-chan?"

Lee was staring at her with a puzzled expression.

"Im sorry… I have been so distracted…"

"No, no, Im the one who must apologize!" He looked down. "I disturbed you with all those questions…"

"No, no, Lee-san… No."

"I saw that all this makes you sad… I will talk no more about your companions."

"Lee…", she took his hand, "I don't mind, really. Im not sad…"

But Rock Lee had his eyes on her hand, the one that closed over his own. Now he was the one blushing.

_"What have I done…!"_

She dropped his hand, and went back to her food.

"Sakura-chan… Love…!"

In response, Sakura just sighed.

* * *

Now, Lee fan, don't get excited… We are not going to see a LeeSaku here, ok? Not that I don't like the idea… Its just that this is a KakaSaku, if anything. 

Also, in this chapter I wanted to show more of their feelings for each other (Kakashi and Sakura, that is). I hope for more action in the next chapter – and by action, I don't mean ninja fights, but Sakura and Kakashi getting closer.

Thank you for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

So, this chapter took a little longer, I apologize… I was having trouble to write it, couldn't really decide what it should be about it, but now Im pretty sure I was able to say what I wanted… It's a long chapter, basically one scene of KakaSaku. No other characters or special guests… :(

Also, I did my best with the grammar, but Im sure a few mistakes can be found… English is foreign language to me, and Im doing my best with dictionaries – another excuse for the time I took with this chapter: I had to go almost word by word to make sure I wasn't doing any shameful mistakes.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

Oh, and thank you very much to everyone that reviewed it. I hope to hear from you guys again, and if you havent reviewed yet, well, don't be shy. I will be happy to hear what you have to say.

* * *

_**Day 10**_

The moon was already visible over the roofs when she left the Hokage's chambers.

"Late training, hum?"

And there he was, surrounded by shadows, his tall and quiet figure leaning against the wall of the bulding, just like he had been every night of the past week.

"Kakashi-sensei…", she smiled, "I told you, you don't have to wait for me _every_ day!"

"Yeah, well, I was…"

"…nearby. Yes, I know." She laughed.

"That's right…"

He just started to walk, hands inside his pockets, the same cool, inexpressive face. She speeded up to catch up with him, and so they walked, side by side, a now confortable silence between them, just interrupted by the sounds of the night or her steps. _Never his steps_, she noticed.

Sakura was more than just surprise on the first day she saw him outside, waiting for her. She immediately thought something terrible had happened, either with Naruto or Sasuke. He had trouble in making her belive that nothing took place:

_"Do you promise me? You swear nothing bad happened?"_

_"Yes, yes, I swear!"_

_"You are not hiding things from me?"_

_"Sakura", he looked into her eyes again, "I told you I would never hide or lie to you again."_

She belived him.

Since that day, there he was. Always waiting for her, no matter how late Tsunade kept her with lessons. He never said much. He never really explained why he was there. She asked, of course, but the answer was the same: _"I was near by, and decided to check on you…"_ Ok. If he said so, why not belive him?

He usually walked her home, and once they stopped at the Ichiraku Ramen for a treat – he didn't eat, however.

_"You are not hungry, sensei?", she asked. He was lost in thoughts, watching her eat but not actually seeing her._

_Kakashi blinked and seated straight, one of his elbows on the counter. "Hm? Oh, no, Im not hungry… Had dinner already." His visible eye signed he was smiling._

_"Oh, ok."_

_She proceeded with her meal, trying to imagine what was the thought that consumed Kakashi. Maybe the same thoughts she constantly had? Wondering what happened to Sasuke, or how Naruto was doing with his training. Trying not to think if the boys missed her, if they were hurt, if they were in any danger. Or if, eventually, things would turn out all right. _

_"Sakura", he called. She looked, realizing he was staring at her with an enigmatic gaze. Oh, it was so hard to know what was going on under that mask, behind that only eye he allowed people to see._

_"Yes, Kakashi-sensei?"_

_"I was thinking…"_

_Sakura tensed, a little surprised that he was sharing things like his intimate dilemmas. Was that what she was about to hear? "Tell me."_

_"Considering you are now Tsunade's student, you really don't have to call me 'sensei' anymore…"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"You see, we are no longer student and teacher…"_

_For some reason, she resented that remark:_

_"Well, what do you wish me to call you?"_

_She could tell he had noticed her subtle anger._

_"No, really, only if want to… You can still call me sensei, if you like…"_

_"No, its fine! I understand. Im no longer your student… Why should I call you that? You are no longer responsible for us… I mean, for me."_

_"Is that what you think?"_

_She couldn't bring herself to look at him. _

_"Isnt that what you are saying?"_

_"No."_

_He put a hand on her shoulder. A soft, gentle touch, the one he always seemed to have for her. _

_"Im just saying you don't have to call me sensei…", he moved his hand to her hair, his fingers lightly moving through her pink locks, "… but only if you want to. I don't want you to feel that I have some kind of authority over you. I don't. Not anymore."_

_"But than..?"_

_"Because we are friends."_

_Friends… She never had thought about them like that. Friends._

_"I like calling you sensei…"_

_He smirked. _

_"Ok, no problem."_

_"You know", she kept talking, a little afraid he could misunderstand what she meant, "I really feel better… I don't know… safer."_

_Kakashi retreated his hand back to the counter, and Sakura had the feeling she had said something that made him uncomfortable. _

_"We are friends…"_

_"…but I will always be your sensei.", he completed._

_For some reason, that didn't felt right also. _

_"I just don't want things to change so fast."_

_Sakura was relieved to see he was smiling at her:_

_"I know, Sakura… Too much happened."_

_"Yes, that's it." He hitted the point._

_"I just want you to feel comfortable."_

_For her own surprise, Sakura standed up and hugged him._

_"I do." And as he accepted her embrace: "I really do." _

That was a strange night.

"Sakura?", he called. "Are you ok?"

She turned her attention to him, driving away the awkward feelings the memory had brought. For some reason - one she was having a hard time to understand - the picture of that moment, of that hug, of her arms around his neck, and of him bringing her closer to his chest, all that was making Sakura feel a little uneasy. That night, it had seemed like the right thing to do. It was a brief gesture, and she thought of nothing but in showing him with that hug how close she felt they were. Words couldn't say what she wanted to let him know: that she cared, that she needed him. _That's_ why she did it, right?

"Oh, Im fine…". She felt her face hotter than usual, and quickly looked down. Oh, she couldn't belive what was happening… Why? _"Its just Kakashi-sensei…"_ She had nothing to be embarrassed about, and, most of all, she had no reason to blush. Its not like she was talking to Sasuke or something, right? She usually blushed when _that_ happened, but now…?

"Beautiful night, hm?", he said, and Sakura couldn't tell if he was just trying to make a conversation or if he really appreciated the midnight sky. She realized that they were almost at her doorsteps, her house not more than twenty feet away.

"Yes", she agreed, honestly enjoying the view of the clean sky. "Full moon and all…"

"No clouds. Not anymore, anyway."

She couldn't help taking notice of the moon light that reflected on his silver hair, making it even more remarkable. The night suited him well, he looked different under that sky, covered in an aura of silver light that made impossible for her not to see him as a handsome man, emanating great power and confidence, and yet… "_Sad?_"

Sakura remembered Rock Lee's words, and wondered about her former sensei. So, did he look sad? Oh, it was hard to tell… He almost seemed like his old cool self, _almost_. The exception were moments, well, moments like this one, when he would quietly admire the stars, and would let himself show a nostalgic look, like memories from some time ago would uninvited invade.

Without much effort, Sakura could remember other moments when she had seen Kakashi with similar expressions, even before the boys had left… He always looked like that when he was at _the_ monument. Yes, when he would spend all those long hours staring at that rock – the black rock in which were carved the names of Konoha's former heros, of all those ninjas who died to protect the village and their missions… She knew that some of the names on the monument were of Kakashi's friends, _his best friend_, actually, wasn't that what he said? That day, when he first took them there, that's what he said…

There were so many things she wanted to ask, but couldn't. And so, she wondered…

"Here we are", he said as they reached her house.

"Yes… Here we are."

"Are you sure you are ok?" He sounded amused.

"Why… why…?"

"Nothing", and he laughed under the mask, "no reason at all…"

Again she faced the floor, and again embarrassed for not being able to hide anything from him. Could he even tell she was thinking about him? _"Maybe his sharingan can read minds, after all…"_

"I just don't want you worrying, Sakura…" Kakashi spoked in his serius tone. "Sometimes I think you worry too much about other people, and not enough about yourself."

Sakura let her back rest against the door, and raised her eyes to him.

"I… I don't get it… What do you mean, I worry too much about others?"

"You think too much about other people, and less about yourself than you should."

Again she felt her face burn, now not from shame or embarrassement, but from a strange feeling of anger.

"That's not true… You know nothing about my reasons!"

"Now, don't be like that… Im not trying to upset you…"

"Im not upset!" That was a lie, and Sakura knew he could easily see it. She was upset, angry, furious, even. And hurt. The idea that he was thinking about her just as the same little girl that cared for nothing but Sasuke, that feared to show her own strengh, that always looked down on herself… It really hurted that Kakashi couldn't see the effort she was putting in change from the silly girl to the great kunoichi she wanted to be. It had only been a few weeks, but she was working so hard…!

"Camon, Sakura… I want to help you!"

She gave him her best look of despise:

"You are just making things worst!"

"I… I don't…" Kakashi scratched the back of his head, and Sakura was very much pleased to see a glimpse of confusion in his eye. He sighed and stared at her with an inquisitive expression.

A few moments passed, and Kakashi made no sign that he was going to say something, or even move. Sakura felt like she could scream, but thought that probably wouldn't be the best way to conduct or end the conversation. "I should go. Its late, you know… Anyway…"

She turned her back to him, searching for the key she kept in her back pocket, the one that could open the door and save her from that unconfortabe situation.

"Sakura…", she heard him call.

"Good night, Kakashi." She had no intention of turning, and didn't even feel like calling him sensei. "Thank you for walking me…"

She felt his grasp on her wrist.

"What…"

"Listen." He took a step closer to her, almost pressing her against the door. "I'm sorry."

_"He's sorry?" _She couldn't remember the last time she saw Kakashi apologising to anyone. Probably because she never saw it happening.

However, she was not going to let it go so fast:

"It doesn't matter. I don't mind."

"You don't?" he sounded incredulous.

"No. I don't care what you think. As you said before, you are not my teacher, so…"

"Sakura…" He tighetened his grasp around her wrist, and she could fell perfectly his bare fingers touching her skin, the contact giving her a strange sensation, a burning feeling that spread from there to the rest of her body. "I really care about you. That's the only reason why I said that… And I admit I might be wrong."

"You do?"

"Yes." His hand left her arm, finding shelter inside his pocket. "The way you reacted… Im sorry. I offended you."

"Oh, well, I…"

"Forgive me." And now he was the one looking down. "Its still hard for me not to see you as that girl who was my student… the Sakura I knew before all this."

"I changed."

"No. You have grown." He smiled. "I guess I just have to accept that the cute girl I use to know is gone…"

"Is that so bad…? The new me?"

Kakashi laughed.

"Bad? No, not at all… Its just different. You are turning into a woman. Its natural…"

He waved, his usual goodbye.

"Between you and me, Im the one that needs to adjust…"

Words that stayed with her as he just disappeared from her sight, leaving nothing but smoke.

* * *

Adjust. Change. Grown. 

These words and others were spinning in his mind. So was her name.

_"Sakura, Sakura, Sakura…", _he repeated to himself in various tones, the name bringging a mixture of feelings and her beatiful face to be seen in his mind.

"_What is going on?"_, he asked himself.

The night was hard on him, that much he could tell. Kakashi felt tired and irritated. With himself, of course. Why had he been so direct with Sakura? He never meant to hurt her feelings. Right? Telling her that she was still worring too much about others… Sounded inocent, but he knew better. He knew she was trying to improve, trying to think about her training, doing her best to never again be the girl that needs to be saved. He knew that, so why say something like that?

_"Am I testing her?"_ He was no longer her teacher, he knew it. Tsunade was. He shouldn't be _testing_ other people students… He shouldn't be testing _her_.

Kakashi reached his apartment, going inside using the window, as he usually did. On his way in, he couldn't avoid looking the picture that still laid in its place, like things had never changed with his team seven.

_"But things always change…"_

She had. A lot. Maybe too much for him to just accept. A girl like her, turning into a woman… Where was he, he didn't even realized, he never saw it happening… He had to admit that since the end of the chuunin exam he hadnt payed much attention to her… Oh, didn't he regret it now?

He did. Yes, he very much did.

* * *

So, next chapter, a few special guests, I hope. And maybe some humor. This one was too serius. 

And I hope to be able to take less than a week to post next chapter…

Thank you for your patience.


	4. Chapter 4

Ok, that didn't take long… Here is a new chapter. No Kakashi and Sakura interacting with each other, but you can be sure they are thinking about each other. However, we have many special guests, hope you enjoy them.

I really want to thanks all those that have been reviewing, its really inspiring. Hope you like this chapter. Im just trying to bring some new elements to the story…

I want to hear from you. Read, enjoy, review if you can.

* * *

_**Day 15**_

Kakashi approached the tea house with an uninterested expression on his one exposed eye. After all, he didn't want them to think that he had been watching them, as he certainly had. In truth, they were never very good with the tracking abilities, specially when it came to know if someone was tracking them. _And_ they were inside the village. They should know better than just get distracted, but… Well, when together, Kurenai and Asuma never seemed to pay attention to anything else but each other. Sighing, Kakashi made his way in, with the hope that Asuma would take notice of his presence.

"Kakashi!", he heard after no more then a few seconds, "Hey, Kakashi!"

Kakashi turned to face the owner of the voice, a casual – and fake – look in his eye.

Slowly, he aprouched their table. "Asuma, Kurenai… What a surprise. Didn't know you were back from your missions already…"

"I returned last night." Kurenai said. "Asuma just got here."

"Oh… I see." Kakashi knew that. He saw Kurenai entering the city the night before; he was on the roof of the Hokage's building, reading and waiting for Sakura. He even considered talking to Kurenai then, but thought it would be a good idea to wait for Asuma to be back. After all, he wanted to ask them _both_ about that day. And he didn't really know what Asuma could think when told that Kakashi engaged in a long conversation with Kurenai during his absence. Caution is always the best way with the affairs of the heart… Specially other people affairs.

"Want to join us?" Asuma waved towards the empty seat across him.

Kakashi smiled:

"Ah, I don't want to interrupt… Im sure you have lots to catch up with…"

As he knew she would, Kurenai's face showed irritation and a light blush. _"Like a teenager…"_, was Kakashi's amused thought.

"Kakashi… Again with your insinuations!"

Asuma laughed. "We are just exchanging information… Our missions were related, you know?" He glanced at Kurenai, and, still with a smile, insisted: "Its nothing that cant wait. Please, take a seat!"

"Oh, if you put it like that…"

Just as he took his place, Kurenai asked:

"So, Kakashi… Are you completely recovered from…"

"Yes." He answered abruptly, not wanting to go into that subject. He certainly didn't need to be reminded of the agony and despair he was put in by _him_. Those days he was like that, suffering from the pain of _Itachi's_ genjutsu, those were the worst days of his life. Just the memory of that made him shiver, as he could again feel the cold steel penetrating his flesh…

He shook his head. "Im fine, now."

"Are you really?", Asuma questioned him. "You don't seem so great… Im sorry for saying that, but you havent been yourself for quite a while…"

"I have been busy."

"That's not what I heard." Again Asuma manifested. "You know, from what _I_ heard, you havent been on any missions since the Uchiha boy was taken…"

Kakashi's expression remained the same, but a turmoil of emotions consumed him. He and Asuma were close friends, or at least as close as he could be to any of his colleagues, these days. More than that, they trained rookies from the same year, both becoming senseis at the same time, and always sharing impressions on that matter. In the last year, Kurenai and Asuma were the people he spend more time with, his students aside. And they could imagine perfectly how he felt about Sasuke and Naruto leaving.

However, Kakashi wasn't in the mood for sharing things. He really had avoided conversation with those two since Tsunade cured him. After that, all he wanted was to forget those moments, the pain, and, of course, the shame for what happened. They were there… They saw how easily Itachi had beaten him. To occupy himself, he went into missions - actually, one mission, since soon after that Sasuke went to Orochimaru. And everything changed. Now, Asuma and Kurenai still had their teams, still had their students, still had each other. And Kakashi…

He now had a goal. Something he had to achieve, no matter what.

"Its not the missions that have been keeping me busy…"

Asuma gave him a suspicious look, but Kurenai was the one that closed the issue:

"Im tired of missions… I don't want to talk about work, even about sad things. At least for half an hour." Her red eyes went from Asuma to Kakashi, and back again. "Please, lets just enjoy our tea."

"You are right. We shouldn't spoil the little free time we have."

Kakashi saw how Kurenai's hand briefly touched Asuma's leg, so fast and discreet that most people would never notice. _"Hm… Three is a crowd."_

"Right. You are right, Kurenai. I just need you guys to answer a question, if you can. Than, I promise, you will not hear me say a thing about work."

"No problem", Asuma agreed, "go ahead."

"The day we fought the Akatsuki…"

Both Asuma and Kurenai went pale, and the kunoichi even bit her lower lip. _"Well, at least Im not the only one who gets disturbed by the subject…"_

"That day, I really don't remember it very well."

"You don't?" Asuma's glance was skeptical.

"No…" Under the table, he couldn't avoid his hands to close in fists. The pain… It had almost made him insane. After that, and until the day Tsunade helped, all was under this fog of confusion and angony. "I heard Gai tried to help, but…"

"_Tried _to help?" And Asuma laughed. "That's really unfair. He _saved_ us!"

"_Saved_? Really…?" Kakashi's tone betrayed incredulity and mockery.

However, Kurenai's tone was severe:

"Now, Kakashi, you shouldn't speak like that." She even pointed a finger at him. "Gai was the only reason you were not taken by those guys. We couldn't have stopped them, and, if it wasn't for him, who knows what could have happened to you…"

"I know…" Asuma said. "You would be dead in no time, but not before they had played a little with you, those sick bastards... You know better than us, Kakashi... I don't think you or anyone could resist that Itachi's torture…"

"Ok, ok… I get it…!" Kakashi had no intention of examining the possibles and terribles outcomes of an abduction by the Akatsuki.

"Do you? Because, honestly, I don't think you have even said 'thanks' to Gai."

"Kurenai is right, Kakashi… You owe him one."

_"'Owe him one'… Gai?"_ Even though he couldn't disbelief Asuma and Kurenai, he wasn't still totally convinced:

"But how could Gai fight Itachi…?"

Both Asuma and Kurenai laughed, and the kunoichi said:

"You cant imagine? Please, Kakashi, _you_ are Gai's greatest rival…"

"Meaning…"

"He has tatics to fight sharingan. Even Itachi's sharingan."

It was Asuma that said:

"I realize what you are looking for… But you know what, Kakashi? It´s to another person you should be asking this…"

_"Gai, hm? What a dark perspective…"_

* * *

"OUCH! Be _careful_, what do you think you are doing?"

"_Me_?" Sakura didn't hide her indignation. "What are _you_ doing, screaming like that? Its just a superficial scratch, Ino-pig…"

Ino was Sakura's first patient that morning. Tsunade thought it would be a good idea for the girl to practice some of the medical-jutsus she had just learned, and Ino was, as she claimed, her "first victim".

"Oh, just look at _that_… So much blood…"

Sakura shaked her head in disapproval. Ino was making a big deal about that wound, a small cut on her palm.

"It isnt even bleeding…"

"Because I don't have blood in my body, not anymore…"

"You do know you would be _dead_ if that was true, don't you?"

"Are you saying Im going to die?"

Sakura laughed. "Ah, Ino, you are joke…"

The blond girl answered to this showing an outraged expression, acting like what Sakura just said offended her deeply: "How _dare_ you…?"

Sakura knew better than to take seriously Ino's moods.

"You are just making a scandal because Im the one that is treating you…"

"Its not my fault you are such a terrible medical-nin."

Both girls smiled.

Sakura concentrated chakra in her palms, and pressed her hand over Ino's cut. Almost immediately the wound started to heal.

"Wow… That _is_ pretty amazing, Sakura! Never thought you could do it…"

"And you will not have a scar... How great is that?"

_"I did it!"_ Sakura was exultant. Medical jutsus required an unbelievable concentration, and a great ability to mold chakra. She was surprised with her own succes. Even Tsunade told her it could take a while before she could learn how to perform those jutsus, but Sakura managed to surprise the Hokage herself. How about that? _"Kakashi-sensei would be proud…"_

She caught herself thinking about him again.

"Sakura… Sakura… Hey, SAKURA!"

She turned her attention to Ino, who looked annoyed.

"Ah, sorry… Got a little distracted."

"You know, that's not a good thing in a medical ninja… Letting your thoughts wonder away from you patients… during treatment!"

"Yes, you are right." She wrapped Ino's hand in bandages. "What were you saying?"

"You _really_ didn't hear me, did you? And I thought you were joking…" The girl turned his eyes to the ceiling and back. "I was just saying we could use you in our training sessions…"

"What? You and I? Training together?"

Ino looked at her, her eyes saying she wasn't joking, and that it was a serius matter to her.

"And why not? We are one member short in our group most of the time, you know? After all, now Shikamaru is a chuunin, _and_ an academy teacher, so hes not training so much with us…"

Sakura thought for a moment: "No… No, I couldn't, I mean, its your team, and I don't want to intrude…"

"Ah, stop right there!" The blond said it in high tones. "Don't come with the 'intrusion' excuse. Of course you wouldn't be intruding! Im inviting you!"

"Yes, I know, but what would the others think?"

"What? Do you think they would mind?" Ino laughed gracefully, the laugh that usually charmed all the men around her. "If they can deal with me, handle you shouldn't be a problem… And, anyway, the boys think high of you. Shikamaru said you are the smartest person he knows - after him, of course -, and Chouji thinks you are something great after that chuunin exam."

"They didn't…"

"Im _telling_ you!" Ino raised her eyebrowsto put emphasis in her phrase. "I know you are practising to be a medical ninja, but you shouldn't neglect other abilities… You still have to work your speed, learn new ninjutsu, improve your tatics… And Im sure the Hokage is a busy person, she would be glad if you could train with another team and give her a break. To be with you all day? Poor Tsunade-sama…"

"Are you sure I wouldn't be…"

"_Stop_ _it_, I told you already!" Ino stared at Sakura and said, an unusual serius tone in her normally playful voice. "We are all ninja from Konoha. We should help each other at _all_ times!"

For the first time in many, many days, Sakura felt tears in her eyes that were not from sadness or pain.

"Thank you, Ino. Thank you very much."

"You are welcome, Sakura. That's what friends are for."

* * *

_**Day 16**_

_"I cant belive what Im doing…"_

That was the most constant thought Kakashi had all day. Now, as he stepped inside the training area, those words in his mind almost made him regret his decision. After all, it had been a long time since Kakashi needed to thank someone for saving his life, and even more since he had to ask for training tips. But, worst of all, even when he had to do it, those things never before involved his rival Gai…

He couldn't really tell when the rivalry between them started, but he admitted that he had never tried to end it. Even though he complained and claimed to dislike it, Kakashi knew in his heart that, if it had came to that, it was his fault. After all, when younger, he really _was_ a… yes, a bastard, yes, he was a pain, he was always looking down on everyone. _And_ he was always glad to show people how much of a failure they were.

Gai was one of his victims.

Now, Gai also had his share of blame, of course. In his defense, Kakashi could say that he had never picked a fight with Gai – mainly because, when yougsters, he despised him, but still… Since they were boys Gai was always making challenges, always testing himself against Kakashi… Why? When young, Kakashi thought Gai was a moron that envied him because he was such a genius, while Gai was… well, Gai. A hard-worker, but not a talented one. Since Kakashi wasn't a lazy guy himself, it always seemed pretty obvious the outcome of their fights. He never belived Gai could win. Of course, time showed that things change, just as Kakashi himself had changed. Even though he still trained and gave his best to improve his abilities, he really didn't care anymore if Gai would win their fights, or even other stupid challenge. Oh, who was counting, anyway?

Ah, yes… Gai was.

_"And he saved me…? So ironic."_

Gai was doing push-ups. He was at the incredible count of seven thousand.

Kakashi got closer, close enough to see the sweat dripping from Gai's forehead. Other than that, the man didn't seem tired at all. He kept his rhythm, up and down, his breathing wasn't heavy, he didn't tremble or hesitate. One could think he did seven thousand push-ups every day…

_"Does he? Geez, that's absurd!"_

Even though Kakashi's presence couldn't be more evident, Gai made no sign that he had noticed him. _"He hasn't seen me? Impossible."_ Kakashi knew this game too well to not play it. Fortunately, he had came prepared.

_"Waiting is never a problem if you have good reading to do…"_ A book, with a distinct orange hardcover, came from his backpocket.

Apparently, this had an effect on Gai:

"Kakashi", he got up with a flick movement, "have you came all the way here just to read your dirty book?"

"Hm? Oh, hello Gai…!"

In response, Gai jumped back, and took a fighting position.

"Did you come looking for a challenge? Do you want to pursue a tie in our confronts?"

Kakashi put the book down.

"Actually…"

"Im _ready_ for you, my rival!"

"No, Gai, listen…" Kakashi raised both hands, showing his intentions of peace. "I don't want to fight."

"Oh…" Gai let his head down, his chin touching his chest, disappointment showing in all of his features.

"Yes, Im sorry. But I came for other reasons."

He had thought this through. He knew what to say. He had practiced it inside his head a million times. Was really so hard to admit that you are not perfect? That you can lose? That you can't protect everybody? That, sometimes, you may need some help?

_"I can do this. I have to. Camon, not for you. Don't let your pride interfere. You need this! You need to, it's the only way you can help them… her…"_

In his mind, Sakura's face was discernible, her eyes, beatiful green eyes. Tears were coming out from her eyes, yes, she was crying, and he smiled at her. He smiled, confident and playful. And he was saying, like he said to her so many times: _"Don't worry, Sakura. Everything is going to be alright. I promise you…" _He promised her. More than once. He _promised_ her! He told her everything was going to be alright, that things would turn out fine, he did that, and yet…

Things were not alright. He didn't do what he promised. He _failed_ her. He said it, and couldn't keep up with his word. How could she ever trust him again?

_"Do it, Kakashi!"_, he commanded to himself.

"Gai…" He forced his voice out. "You went up against Itachi?"

"Hmm?"

The dark hair jounin seemed surprised.

"I mean, Asuma and Kurenai, they told me you did."

Gai nodded his head in an affirmative gesture. "Yes, I did… But they escaped… You know, Itachi and… what's his name?"

"You see, Gai, the reason I came is because I want to ask you for a favor."

For a second Gai's eyes widened, and his mouth opened at least an inch. However, the jounin managed to quickly regain his pose.

"A favor, is it?" He scratched his chin. "And what would that be?"

Hands in his pocket, Kakashi used his coolest tone of voice, since he didn't want it to sound like a big deal: "I wish you could help me with my training… A training to fight the sharingan."

"_You_, the great genius Kakashi, want help with your training?"

He _knew_ Gai would make a big deal out of it… But doesn't he always?

"Yeah, that's right… You see, just for a weak or so… It should be enough…"

He was interrupted by Gai's sonorous laugh.

"HA! Konoha's Prideful Green Beast and The Copy Ninja, Sharingan Kakashi! Together! What an event!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… You know, I don't want this to be an _event_…

"The rivals… together as one!"

"Now, take it easy…"

Like those last words had slapped him on the face, Gai turned to Kakashi with a grave look.

"Kakashi!"

"Oh… what?"

"We must have rules!"

"Rules?"

"Yes! Training rules!"

Kakashi shivered. "Well, Gai, Im actually not very good with rules…"

"That's the First Rule!" He showed Kakashi his stretched finger. "We must have rules! Otherwise, no training!"

_"What have I done…"_

"Ok, ok, fine…"

"Wonderful!" An agitated Gai started to walk.

"Where are you going?"

"I have training plans to do, of course!"

"Oh, I see…" He pulled his book again. "Guess I'll see you later, then."

Gai's shocked expression brought a bad feeling to Kakashi.

"Later? _Later?_ No, Kakashi, my rival, there is no _later_ for us! For you and for me, Kakashi, there is just now!"

_"Whose idea was it, again? Oh, yes, mine… Well, I guess there is no one to punish but myself…" _With that bitter thought, Kakashi followed Gai.

* * *

Now, here are a few explanations this chapter should have.

First, I wanted to show more characters other than Sakura and Kakashi, since I like many of them, and it also give us a chance to see how much they are doing things for each other and thinking about each other, even when they are not together.

Second, I would like to explain this Kakashi Im writing. For me, Kakashi is the cool, quiet guy, but only on the surface. Anyone that read _Gaiden_ saw how he was… Im always thinking of him as a person moved by his duties and also by his guilt.

It was based in the _Gaiden_ that I built this idea of how Gai/ Kakashi rivalry was born. He really was a very proud boy, and he tended to look down on people, or ignore them. Even now, I don't think that Kakashi really gets what Gai is all about. As we can see when the manga/ anime show us one of their "confronts", Kakashi demonstrates nothing but contempt for Gai's self-imposed rules. At that time, I think that even though Kakashi knew Gai was a powerful ninja, he still was too critical on Gai's methods – and personality, of course.

I also thought that Kakashi showed a lot more respect for Gai in the part two of the manga. And in part two, we see the brief moment I describe, when Kakashi asks Gai about how he went against Itachi. I will say no more, since you guys may not have read it yet. Anyway, I think those two and a half years made Kakashi acknowledge Gai a little more, and I wanted you to know what I think happened (no GaiKaka, however).

Finnaly, Im planning more KakaSaku for the next chapter, of course. Please, be patient… I think we might see some action soon (and by action I mean KakaSaku, not great shinobi fights).

Hope you enjoyed this one. Please, let me know.

P.S.: Kakashi Gaiden is the story of young Kakashi. Really good.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry, took a long time with this one…

Ok, first, thank you for the reviews. I just want to ask all of you, regular readers, to keep reading and telling me what you think. I really would like suggestions about the plot; I do have an idea of how the story should go, but I would also like to please the readers, so... Just tell me what you think.

In this one, a little more of KakaSaku. Lots of Kakashi, though. Im trying to explore Kakashi being hard on himself, and punishing himself for what happened to his team… That's the story, after all: Kakashi and Sakura trying to overcome the end of team seven – together. But I think that a light of hope is showing to Kakashi.

We have flashbacks during the chapter, hope you like the way I put it.

Ah! Kakashi Gaiden spoilers, Im afraid… Not too much, but there is.

Enjoy!

* * *

_**Day 31**_

Blood.

Blood? Where was it coming from?

The nose. Ah, yes, the nose. How could he forget about it?

_"Too slow, Kakashi!"_

_Again said Gai. Kakashi couldn't take it anymore. How many times a day he had to hear the same thing? Yes, he was slow. Too slow for Gai. _

_"What did I tell you, Copy Ninja? Its all about…"_

_"…about the speed…!", he finished Gai's sentence. "Yes, yes, I know…!"_

_He tossed his gloves on the floor. Their metal protectors were so wrecked from blocking Gai's attacks that they were now hurting him more than helping. Truth was, he couldn't even feel his fingers anymore. And his hands were trembling from the unbelievable impact that Gai's every punch and kick caused. It always felt like hitting a brick wall… He had no idea his taijutsu was so behind Gai's. Even though they had fought many times before, Kakashi's strategy hardly involved a taijutsu fight, of course. He knew it was Gai's best trait, and he usually kept his distance. However, he never thought that Gai could be _that_ good._

_"Yes, your sharingan can see me, but what is the use of it if your body cant…"_

_"…follow." Kakashi was sweating and gasping like he hadnt for at least a couple years. _

_"Exactly! Good, good, you are a fast learner!_

_"Fast learner?" He looked around. They were on the same training area he had taken his team seven on their first meeting. They were not even a team back then, and he had been so hard on those kids…! Just like Gai wasn't giving him any chances. Not that he was complaining. Kakashi knew what he was trying to accomplish, and no way he could get it just reading dirty books and… well, never mind. "I don't know, Gai, I really cant see any progress, and it has been two weeks already!"_

_Gai gave him one of his bright smiles. "Wrong you are, my rival!" He assumed a stern expression: "Speed training results are not always easily noticed. Improvement is slow, and, more than that, almost impossible for the student himself to realize…"_

_"Is that what I am? A student?"_

_"Don't interrupt me." Gai gave him a look of deep disdain for that lack of respect. "So, like I was saying, even a highly trained ninja can fail to see his improvements – or decays – until they are really needed."_

_"So, what are you saying? That only when I fight Itachi for real I will know…"_

_"Not exactly… But ok, that is a good example." He took a step forward. "An even better example is how you failed to see that you were no longer the great ninja you use to be, until the day Itachi defeated you…"_

_"Don't play me like that, Gai. I will not take it." Kakashi's tone betrayed the coldness that suddenly took him. Yes, he was there to learn, and he was trying to do his best, but he wouldn't stand there to hear Gai's mockery…_

The blood was dripping from his nose, soaking his mask. _"Damn!"_ He touched it slowly, very lightly. It didn't feel like it was broken, but it was hurting like hell. Actually, the punch had hit him just above the nose, between his eyes. So humiliating… No one, _no one_, had ever been able to put a punch between his eyes… If it wasn't for the forehead protector, maybe his _head_ would be broken. _"Maybe I deserved it…"_

He pressed his nostrils with two fingers and bended his head back, waiting for a few minutes. When he felt the flow of blood slowing down, he went to the river that ran just a hundred feet away. He kneeled by the water.

_"You are still only reacting to my movements, Kakashi!" Gai dodged a high kick that almost got his head, and punched a shadow copy of Kakashi that just desappeared in white smoke. "Shadow copies are no good… Do you think Itachi would fall for that?"_

_"Who cares…?" Kakashi emerged from the ground below Gai's feet. "_You_ are my oponent now, not him…" _

_But Gai wasn't there._

_"Again, too slow… **Konoha Gouriki Senpuu!**_

_Unable to dodge it, Kakashi blocked it with his left arm. He couldn't avoid to be thrown five feet back, anyway. More than that, the heavy kick was hard on his arm, and now he wasn't able to move it without causing an excruciating pain that would go from his elbow to his shoulder._

_"You trust too much on that sharingan… What if your adversary has a better trick?"_

He lowered his mask, contemplating his reflex on the water surface. It had become an unsual sight even for him. Kakashi could go for many days without looking at himself in a mirror, since it wasn't a vision that he missed. Specially those mismatched eyes, something that, no matter for how long he had it, seemed to him so strange. That sharingan… yes, _Obito's_ sharingan. He could use it, all right, but still… It always felt like something he borrowed, not something that belonged to him. Looking at those mismatched eyes… It was like he was seeing two different people in one; and, worst, it was happening on his own face.

Long ago he realized he wouldn't be able to walk around showing that special eye. After all, different from the Uchiha who were born with sharingan, he wasn't able to "turn it off". It drained his chakra all the time, and he never had the choice of not use it. Fortunately, using his hitai-ate to hide it, or keeping his eye closed, both were ways of diminish the amount of chakra _it_ spent. More than that, it also avoided the strange looks people gave him, faces in which he could read things like envy, anger, fear, disgust. He hated those looks. He hated when people judged him.

_"You are not so cool now, Kakashi." Gai finished the sentence with a smile. _

_He was drained from training, and Gai knew it. His legs were heavy, his reflexes were slower, just like the speed of his seals. Gai wasn't a ninjutsu specialist, but even him could be able to read Kakashi's movements. His left arm was killing him, and he would be pleasantly surprised if it wasn't broken. However, the worst pain was the one in his left eye. He had been using it for hours now, and it felt like it was on fire._

_"Shut up, Gai…"_

_"Should we take a break? You look exhausted…"_

_"I told you… Shut up, already!" _

_Kakashi was amazed on Gai's abilities when fighting the sharingan. Even though Kakashi himself was able to fight in situations were the visibility was low, it usually meant that the adversary was in a similar condition. However, Gai was fighting avoiding all eye contact, trusting only his instincts and the very limited signs he could take from Kakashi's feet and legs movements. Besides that, any advantage Kakashi could have from that was compensated by Gai's extreme speed – and even more ruined by Kakashi's exhaustion. _

_"Maybe you should just give up… Go back to your reading."_

_"I will… As soon as Im over with you."_

The cold water ran through his face, the contact bringing a blessed relief. He washed the blood, _his blood_, that was already drying on his face. Slowly, he tried to move his left arm, just slightly raising it…

Kakashi couldn't avoid a gasp of pain, his stomach clutched with a sudden nausea. He bit his lower lip, holding the painful cry in his throat. _"God…!"_ From his shoulder to his elbow, the arm was useless. He couldn't make a single move, and it was like that part of the body didn't even belonged to him. Could be broken, and he was sure the shoulder had dislocated. Oh, it was going to be some trouble to put it back in place… Yes, he could go to the hospital, but he _hated_ hospitals. Maybe ask Asuma or Genma to give him some help? Perhaps the best option…

He felt a presence behind him.

_"**Konoha Shoufuu!**"_

_As he predicted, Gai attacked him at his right side. That was the only systematic move Kakashi had been able to read so far: when possible, Gai would prefer an approach from the right, the side that had no sharingan. And it also was his remaining good arm… Was Gai softening? _

_It didn't matter, and was Gai trying to spare him or not, Kakashi had a plan that wouldn't do the same for his rival. He had been expecting Gai's kick. He could try to dodge it, he could block it with the kunai in his hand, but those would be things that Gai expected. So, with a spinning movement, Kakashi turned, letting his left and already hurted arm take another heavy blow. _

_Gai's foot landed on his shoulder, and Kakashi thought he could even hear the bones creaking. However, he made his best to ignore the pain. He leaned, and used his right and good arm to grab Gai's leg. He pulled it firmly, and using all the remaining strength he had left, Kakashi managed to toss his opponent over his head and heavly into the ground. Without giving Gai any time to think or react, Kakashi faced his rival:_

_"Sharingan!" He smiled as Gai's eyes went wide. "You are looking, Gai. Looking and losing…"_

"What are you doing here?" He raised his mask, again covering his face. "I thought you were supposed to be at the hospital…"

Sakura aproached from behind him, coming out of the bushes near by. _"She was watching? For how long?"_ Usually Kakashi was able to feel her presence in half a mile, but not that day. In that afternoon, all Kakashi could smell was his own blood, and all he could hear was a buzzing sound in his ears. For his own surprise, she was only fifty steps from him when he noticed her. And since when she was there? How much had she seen? Had she…?

"I didn't see your face, you know?" She risked a few more steps closer to him. "If that's what you are thinking…"

He turned to look at her.

"You missed a good opportunity, then."

Sakura was staring at him with a preoccupied expression.

"What _happened_ to you?"

She moved quickly, too fast for him to react. Before he could say or do anything, she was kneeling next to him.

"Training." He added as she showed disbelief: "I swear, Im not lying…!"

"What kind of training is this?" She looked shocked as she glanced at him. "Look at you…! Are you bleeding?"

"No" He raised his hand to his mask, still soaked with blood. No wonder she was scared: his nose wasn't as bad as it looked, but it had bleed profusely. Not only his mask, but his shirt and hand were painted in red, what probably was a disturbing view. "Not anymore."

"What about your arm?"

_"Ah, so _that _she saw…"_, was Kakashi's thought. He wondered how good in reading him Sakura was turning out to be. After all, he was good in hiding his pain, and he never made obvious that his arm was hurt. Never the less, she had been able to read his movements, so well that she didn't even bother asking _if_ his arm was wounded. She knew it was, and plainly asked about it – a smart thing to do, since gave no space for him to pretend that everything was fine. _"Such a bright girl…"_

"Its nothing.", he answered. "Stretched the muscle too much… Don't worry about it."

She looked at him like he had slapped her on the face. It was a deeply hurt look, one that made her green eyes show sadness and disappointment.

"What?"

Sakura seated on the grass, holding her knees with both arms around her legs. That movement reminded Kakashi so much of the young girl he had as student, a girl that usually smiled and played, even yelled at him. One that, when seating like that, in that vulnerable position, face hided between her knees, use to turn to her sensei looking for confort and help. Back then, he was the one that would ask what was wrong… Now, now things were different. The Sakura seating next to him was not vulnerable. That girl was not even a girl anymore. She was almost a woman, and one that looked angry and frustrated…

"What?" She didn't turn to face him, giving nothing more than her delicate and beatiful profile to be seen. "You ask _what_?"

She was becoming really good at this, this way of making him feel confused and uneasy. He sighed:

"Look, I really don't get it… You asked and I…"

"Do you forget", she interrupted, "do you forget that Im having medical training? Don't you even remember that?"

Kakashi wasn't quite sure about her point. "I know. I know, of course. Don't I wait every day for you…?"

"And every day you have a new bruise… another cut… and your chakra is totally drained…"

Could she see that? Kakashi never imagined Sakura was already in that level… He never took much interest in medical techniques, but he had a medical ninja in his team for years, what gave him some basic knowledges. As it was explained to him, the training in medical jutsus was even slower than of the regular jutsus, since it required lots of chakra and a great ability to control it…

And Sakura had it in her, didn't she? In their first trainings and missions, Kakashi was surprised with her natural talent on chakra control. Actually, in that matter, she was ahead of Sasuke and Naruto… Also, she had a natural sensibility when it came to analyzing skills, meaning she could recognize a trap, or sense a genjutsu when most ninja wouldnever notice it. Unfortunately, Kakashi never had the chance of helping her to evolve those abilities, things happened so fast…

It seemed like Tsunade hadnt lost any time with her new student.

"I _know_ you are hurt! You cant even move your arm!"

_"Yes, Sakura… I am an idiot."_ What could he say? To hide things, specially the ones that made him look weak or frail, was already a habit. And old habits die hard.

"I know you would never ask… but Im the one asking!" She finally looked at him, her eyes searching for the only eye he allowed her to see. "Im asking you: Please, let me help you…"

_It failed. _

_The sharingan failed. _

_Gai groaned and shifted under the weight of the knee that was pressed against his chest. He had already noticed that no genjutsu had happened or would come. _

_Kakashi pressed his hand against his left eye, a pain that took his breath and darkned all vision. It felt like a thousand needles were piercing his eye and head, an agonized feeling that was only overwhelmed by the shock brought from the fact that his sharingan had failed him. Blind and injured beyond his own understanding, Kakashi didn't noticed that Gai had not put an end into the fight._

_He realized the punch was coming, but too late to do anything about it. He even tried to protect his face with a hand, but… too slow. He was too slow when compared to Gai. _

_Kakashi felt Gai's fist heavly on his face – just above the nose, between his eyes. The most difficult spot to touch in a ninja, his sensei use to say. "No one sees a fist coming and just accept it…"_

_Almost no one. _

_His back hit the ground, and all the air in his lungs was forced out of him. The warmth of fresh blood spread on his face, the taste of it taking his mouth, the smell suffocating him. Kakashi could feel the metal of his hitai-ate touching his forehead, the wrecked plate scratching the skin. He could only imagine how pathetic he looked: lying on the ground, blood all over his face, arms and legs stretched, open eyes that could see nothing but darkness._

_"Kakashi?" He heard Gai calling from some place directly above him. He probably realized that something was wrong, and that Kakashi would not get up and continue the fight. "Kakashi? Are you alright?"_

_No. No, not alright. He wasn't alright. Actually, he was feeling terrible, he was feeling like a complete and total idiot, who had just behaved like he promised himself he never again would. He was too proud, he managed to engage in a useless fight with a person that was doing nothing but trying to help. So, no, he wasn't alright. His sharingan failed him, abandoned him like it never had. And now, now he laid on the grass wounded and defeated: just what he deserved. _

_"Im alive, Gai."_

_Yes, he was. Different from many others, other good ninja, good people that were now dead. While he insisted on living. Why? Just to accomplish embarrassing defeats? And in a fight against a hard working person, a man with a good heart, good enough to help him – despite the fact that Kakashi never took him seriously. A good ninja. A good teacher. _

_"What happened? I really thought you had got me back there…"_

_Now Kakashi could finally see something through the darkness – the day light, shades from clouds and trees, even Gai's head that was watching him from above. The pain in his left eye had eased a little. _

_"Gai…"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I don't want to talk about it."_

_Gai disappeared from his sight momentarily, and then was back again:_

_"Do you need help to get up?"_

_"I think I will stay here… for a while."_

_"I can take you to the hospital! That arm really…"_

_"Gai."_

_"Yes?"_

_"Please, just leave me alone."_

_Gai took a few seconds to answer it: "I see. As you wish."_

If only his wishes could turn into reality… If only wishes could change the way things are… But Kakashi knew better than that. In his heart, he knew that the only way to make things happen was with his own hands. And work. And, of course, courage. The courage to take risks.

"Please, sensei…" Sakura stared at him, her voice showing how serius she was. "… trust me!"

"I do", was Kakashi's simple answer.

She looked surprised. "You do…?"

"Yes, I do."

Again she kneeled, now so close to him that she rested her hand on his leg. "Will you let me examine your arm?" She smiled. "Promise I wont touch your mask…"

"Help me with my vest. I think you'll have to cut it off."

Sakura approuched her former sensei, and reached his left shoulder with a hand. He holded his breath, waiting for the pain, but it that never came. All Kakashi felt was her touch, a kind and warm touch, light and skilled fingers that ran up and down his arm, pressing carefully, feeling him gently. She was using her chakra, he noticed, so his muscles would relax and the pain could ease. He glanced at her, watching her concentrated features as she worked, her eyes focusing his arm, the effort showing in her face as small drops of sweat appeared on her forehead. Was this too much for her? After all, she had been Tsunade's student for no more than two months, and she couldn't know more than the basic healing jutsus…

"Its okay, Sakura, you don't have to do all…"

"Please, be quiet." She commanded in a tone of voice that would make looks like she was an expert doctor, and not a recent apprentice. Closing her eyes, Sakura took a deep breath. A few moments passed before she spoke again, moments in which Kakashi could feel her chakra flowing through his arm, taking away the pain, giving him a blessed relief.

"Its not fractured", she finally said, and retreated her hands to her lap. Kakashi shivered, the sudden move causing the warmth she gave to turn into cold disconfort. "But your shoulder is dislocated, and the articular cartilage of your elbow is damaged."

"Sounds bad." However, his tone was calm and controlled. He had been injured too many times in his life to worry about this diagnosis. "Can you do anything about it?"

"Well, in the hospital they can…"

"Im not going to the hospital."

"But…"

"No."

She shaked her head in disapproval. "You are behaving just like Naruto – and that's not a compliment!"

"Can you help me? Or should I ask someone else…?"

"Someone else? Like who?"

Clearly, she was angry. Kakashi wouldn't want that, but the idea of going to the hospital, where they would sure keep him in for a few days, and where people would hear about his injuries, and every ninja in the village would want to know what happened, and questions would be asked… That would be worst than the actual pain he was in. He looked at her and said nothing. He had made up his mind, and it was time for her to decide if she wanted to be a part of it or not.

"What am I going to do with you?" She took another deep breath, now from recognizing a defeat.

"Please, just help me with the shoulder… I'll ask for nothing more."

"Yes, I suppose I can help you with that…" She took a kunai from her pocket, ready to cut the clothes he wasn't able to take off.

Under the mask, Kakashi smiled briefly to himself. "Sakura…?"

"Yes?" With speed and precision, the girl cut the front of his shirt in one skilled movement.

"I'm glad you are here", he said, only to realize that she barely listened.

The kunai had stopped, leaving his chest half exposed through the already opened shirt. A long and old scar crossed his body, and she was staring at it.

"What's the matter?", he asked.

Lightly, she ran her finger over the scar, all the way down. "Its from that day, right?" Her green gaze on him, memories coming to her. "When you fought Zabuza…"

"Yeah… "

"I remember. I remember like it was yesterday! Our first real mission, the first outside the village for team seven… It wasn't supposed to be difficult, remember?" He nodded, and she kept going. "And then, we were attacked… I was so scared! Those chuunin… and then, Zabuza, of course, a jounin." A smile came to her features, but quickly left. "On the bridge… I really thought… There were moments when I thought…

"…that we wouldn't make it."

"Right, that we wouldn't make it…" Kakashi could feel her fingers on his skin, the delicate touch that brought to him strange sensations. For so long he didn't have anyone that would just _touch_ him, feel him, try to know him with this physical contact. A warm hand like her's, that took the pain away, that made him shiver because he wanted more, more of that caress. He couldn't help himself, and he took her hand in his own, pressing it against his chest, with such intensity that her palm and fingers - he could feel it so well! - almost seemed printed on him. The contact between them overwhelming all the pain.

Sakura didn't react. She just kept her green eyes on their clasped hands. But said: "You always protected us, sensei. Always. You are so good in it that I almost forgot you can get hurt too."

_"What am I doing?"_, was Kakashi thought. It was wrong to touch her like that, to be so eager for her… wasn't it? Sakura. His former student. A young girl. She was trying to help him as _a_ _medical ninja_, right? _"What is happening here?"_

He released her hand. "No… Im not so good with this _protection_ thing…"

"That's not true." She raised her eyes, and tears could be seen there. "You stayed, didn't you?"

"Why…?"

She sobbed: "I have to tell you something."

* * *

So, what is Sakura about to tell him…? I promise I will read and review every chapter of every story that the person who guess it ever writes. However, I must say that I gave almost no clues of what is it, so, is a lucky guess… 

I apologize for the grammar mistakes or any others. Im doing my best to correct them, but it takes so much time… I read and review my chapters many times, but Im afraid a few mistakes always escapes me.

I hope the next one will not take too long, I have it planned already. Actually, it was supposed to be in the same chapter as this one, but it would be too long…

Next chapter probably will have more special guests… And maybe we can start to look into the Mangekyou Sharingan, how about that? Lets just wait and see…

Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

That took a long time, and I apologize. Not only this chapter gave me lots of problems (at first, I had trouble on deciding what was going to be Kakashi's destiny), I also had a broken computer and traveled to see relatives. All that said, I hope you can forgive me for being more than a month late…

About the surprise, the cliff I left on the last chapter, many wrote thinking Sakura could be pregnant. Well, as interesting and surprising this could be, it wasn't what I had in mind, so I kept with the initial idea. Really, it is no big deal, just a small cliff to help me build the next chapter: this one here.

Now, this is a long chapter, but, readers, don't run away. Lots of dialogues, so I think is quite dynamic.

Of course, I again thank all the readers, specially you that left me a review. You see, I write because its fun, but I keep on this story because there are people reading and liking. And I'm reader too, so, even though a chapter may take a long time, be sure I will not leave this story unfinished, for respect on you readers.

Thank you, and have fun.

* * *

_**Month 2, day 1**_

Shizune was standing in front of her master, hands together in an anxious grip.

"_What_ should I tell him, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade was reading a parchment, and kept her eyes in the paper as she spoke:

"Just what I told you before…" A cold glance reached Shizune, a sign that the fearful woman behind the desk was loosing her temper. "I'm _busy_!"

Shizune shivered, and pressed her lips together. She knew better than to open her mouth when Tsunade was in such a bad mood, but…

"Hokage-sama… I… I… said that… already… " Her voice was disappearing, along with her courage. Tsunade could have a mean look when she wanted to.

"Shizune… tell me: why do I have an assistant, again? I thought assistants should keep _this kind_ of trouble away from the Hokage, so she can handle more important business…"

"Oh…", the dark haired woman rolled her eyes, "_I_ thought you needed an assistant so you wouldn't sleep while reading reports…"

"Fine!" Tsunade snapped, her fist hitting the table and making the floor tremble. "Fine, fine…!" She shaked her head, disapproving her own decision. "Tell him to come in…"

"As you wish, Hokage-sama."

"As _I_ _wish_…?" The irony of it made her smile. _"Ah, obligations…"_

Shizune opened the office door:

"Please… She will see you now" She gestured vaguely in the direction of the room behind her.

Tsunade crossed her arms and assumed a more relaxed position in her chair. And made sure she was looking with contempt and impatience towards the jounin that came in with a cool expression and one hand inside his pocket.

"Hatake Kakashi…" The Hokage sighed deeply and loudly. "Why _in the world_ are you here?"

"I assumed that the Hokage, the greatest of all ninja, could guess…"

"Don't test my patience… It is very, very small…"

Indeed Tsunade knew what was the reason that brought again the Copy Ninja to her office. She knew it so well that she avoided the confrontation for as long as she could… two whole hours. Unfortunately, her bodyguards and assistants were not strong enough to keep the Hatake Kakashi away. Most of them feared him even more then they feared her… They were about to discover that this was a mistake, of course. She would take care of that later. Now, the problem was standing right in front of her desk, dressed in jounins vests, showing just one eye and with his left arm immobilized in bandages.

"Injured arm, I see."

"Yes. It's treated."

"Yes, yes, I know…" In a characteristic gesture, Tsunade tapped her fingers on her desk. "She told me all about it."

_"All about it?" _Kakashi kept his undisturbed look, but he felt an unpleasant sensation of coldness in his abdomen. "Is that right?"

"Of course… Do you have any objections?" She put her hands under her chin, a smile on her lips. "I'm her master _and_ the Hokage… It's only expected that Sakura shares _everything_ with me…"

"I suppose…"

Tsunade stared the jounin attentively, but in vain. He gave no external signs of emotion, and the mask made even more difficult to know what was going on inside that mind. She was a bit frustrated, that was the truth. In fact, Sakura came to her last night, but said almost nothing. The girl seemed a little disturbed, and told an unlikely story of how she had treated her former sensei, who was badly hurt from an extreme training. Tsunade thought awfully strange that a simple training could injure an elite jounin, but didn't argue. However, Sakura remained silently about any details, claiming she knew nothing about it. And even told Tsunade she had treated Kakashi alone, what was completely against the rules, since that kind of wound was supposed to be treated in the hospital, with medical supervision, and not by an apprentice… Not to mention that the girl seemed to have been crying, something that made Tsunade concludes that Sakura told Kakashi about the mission…

_"Why can't the simple things be simple?"_

"So, Kakashi, I assume you are here because you heard about Sakura's task…"

He sighed in relief, just to be reminded of the anger he felt.

_"You are going on a mission?", he asked to the young kunoichi that had her face in her own hands. _

_"I don't know what to say… I'm sorry…", she said through her fingers and a muffled cry. _

_"What mission…? When…?"_

_"In three days…"_

_A glimpse of green could be seen as she lowered her hands a few inches, still hiding her cheeks and mouth. Kakashi shook his head, trying to think clearly. To him, it made no sense. Sakura was on training, and, of course, wasn't part of any team. How could she have been assigned to a mission? _

_"Sure it will not take long…"_

_"A month."_

_"A _month?_A _whole_ month?_

_"At least a month…", the girl corrected. _

_"How could that be? I mean… I don't understand… Are you going alone?_

_She took a deep breath:_

_"I'm going with Asuma's team… Ino, Chouji, and Asuma."_

_"What? Asuma's team?" He used his right and uninjured hand to scratch the back of his head. "What… what kind of mission…? Where are you going?"_

_Sakura wiped her wet face with the back of her hand, and holding her tears as she said:_

_"You know, Kakashi-sensei… You know I can tell you nothing more…"_

It had been a shock, and one of which he was not completely recovered. So, she was going on a mission? Not only that, but on a mission she could not talk about. Not even to _him_. Disturbed by this thought, Kakashi let a sonorous sight escape through the mask:

"Yes, Hokage-sama, I heard about it…"

Tsunade leaned over her desk, elbows supporting the weight of her upper body. Attentive eyes on the jounin, she said:

"And I bet that's the reason that brought you here… " She smiled briefly, but proceeded before Kakashi could respond. "Don't you dare think that I didn't consider your position when I took the decision of sending her to this mission…"

"My _position_…?"

"_Please, don't be mad at me!"_

_They were on his apartment, the small, one-bedroom place he called home. Sakura had followed him there in complete silence, since Kakashi was not up to conversations after the breaking news she gave him. For reasons that escaped him, Kakashi was so upset that even the pain on his left arm had eased, and he could almost forget it was badly injured. However, Sakura didn't seem inclined to leave him alone until something could be done about his arm. Standing by the door, she watched as he sat on his bed, and while he reached for a drawer next to it, taking bandages and a pot from there. _

"_I'm not mad", he answered after a minute or so. _

"_You _look _like you are.."_

"_Well, I am!" Kakashi was struggling to open the pot he had placed between his knees, but it was sealed with a tag. "Not at you, though."_

_She stared at him in confusion for a few moments, but he gave no other response. _

"_Let me help you with that." Sakura seated next to him, and took the pot from his hand. She knew exactly what was the problem: the seal on the tag was a simple one, used to keep the medicine fresh and safe; it was usually very easily opened, requiring no more than an insignificant amount of chakra concentrated on one's hand to undo the seal. However, Kakashi was drained, incapable of molding even that much chakra… Sakura thought it was amazing that he hadn't passed out of exhaustion. _

_In a second, the pot was opened. "Here you go."_

"_Thanks." _

"_You know", Sakura bit her lower lip, not wanting to say anything wrong, "we still must do something about this arm of yours." _

_Kakashi sighted, resignation being the obvious feeling in his tone of voice. "Yes, I know."_

"_Can I…?" _

"_Sure…" He offered her his left side, the exposed arm already showing awful signs of the blows it had taken, dark marks on his pale skin. _

_Sakura raised her hand to touch him, her fingers pressing carefully and as light as possible. Even though she already knew what was wrong, the kunoichi wasn't quite sure of what she should do. Sakura knew, of course, that the shoulder should be put back in place, and that the elbow needed all the medical jutsus she learned and probably more; however, she couldn't bring herself to start what must be done. For the first time since she begun her training as a medical ninja, she was treating a seriously injured friend… Oh, now she knew why Tsunade was so hard on her; it wasn't easy to look at a wound on a person you cared, and still be able to do what you had to. _

"_Sakura, are you all right?", Kakashi asked, sensing her hesitation. "You don't need to do it if you don't feel like…"_

"_I'm ok", she answered abruptly, "just having it examined one last time." She cleaned her throat and said, trying to sound as professional and secure as she could: "First, let's put this shoulder back. I can work on your elbow after that, it will take more time." _

"_You are the boss…"_

"_I'll have to pull your arm… It will probably…"_

"…_hurt like hell? Yes, I know. It's not my first time…"_

_Sakura felt her heart pounding, nervous to think that it was _her_ first time. Trying to stop the flow of unpleasant thoughts, she concentrated on her work, performing a few jutsus to relax his muscles and ease the pain. She couldn't bear the idea of doing something wrong, and hurt him even more. After all, Kakashi was a ninja, and an important ninja to Konoha. If something happened that could keep him from doing his work… oh, she would never forgive herself, neither would Tsunade or all the other shinobi in the village. _

"_Sakura", he called, and she raised her eyes to find that cool, calm look._

"_Yes, sensei?"_

_Even through the mask, she could notice he was smiling. His right hand reached her cheek, a warm touch, a reassuring gesture to go with his words: "I'm not worried, Sakura. It's going to be alright…"_

_She smiled back to him, but only for a second. Then, a grave expression dominated her features, and she lifted his arm with both hands, holding it in a tight grasp. Kakashi's right hand fell from her face, and he used it to grab the sheets. He knew what was about to come, and shared another look with Sakura, giving her the permission she was waiting for. _

_Without warning, the kunoichi pulled his arm, using a strength Kakashi never thought possible for Sakura to have. He made his best to remain still, support the strong pull and the agonizing pain, his shoulder exploding, his arm going somewhere far away from him, leaving nothing but awful noises and sensations. He clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, darkness ahead of him, the sheet between his fingers, oh, he was on the edge of letting a muffled cry of pain escape… _

_And the shoulder creaked. He felt as it had found its place again, a minor relief, Sakura's grasp easing, and he could breathe again. A few drops of sweat ran free from his forehead until disappearing in the black fabric of his mask. Kakashi opened his eyes, to see a pale Sakura staring at him with an anxious expression._

"_Did I…?"_

"_You made it." And Kakashi realized he wasn't surprised. "You did it. I knew you would."_

_She smiled, the smile of pure relief. Kakashi had seen it before, that expression, that look she always had when the fear had left and she had already realized things were going to be alright. Oh, she was the brightest kunoichi he had ever known, but she never learned that lesson about not showing her feelings, did she?_

_He was glad she hadn't. _

"_Thank you, Sakura."_

_The girl couldn't avoid blushing. _

"_Ah, it was nothing, Kakashi-sensei… That's why I'm here for!" _

_She had that gracious smile, one that betrayed she was proud of herself, happy and confident. However, she made an effort to contain her excitement: "Don't thank me yet! We still have much to do concerning your elbow…"_

_Kakashi signed positively with his head, and watched in silence as Sakura turned her attention to his arm. Her green eyes searching, her hands going up and down, pressing and feeling, and even so didn't bring any pain. He concentrated on her features, the pink hair that now and then hid her face, until the moment she would raise her hand and again move those rebel locks out of her sight. The slender and delicate fingers doing seals, and then moving to his arm, her warm chakra mixing with his, that overwhelming feeling that she was donating, giving something that belonged to her, just to make him better. He felt his arm going numb, and his head getting lighter._

"_Are you trying to make me sleep?", he suddenly asked. _

_Sakura looked a little surprised, but not at all embarrassed. "Thought you needed some rest…"_

"_I'll take care of that myself, thank you…"_

_She laughed: "You are not upset about this, are you? I was just trying to prevent you to be in pain through the whole night…"_

"_Upset? No, of course not… I just wouldn't like to pass out while you're still here."_

"_Actually…", she lowered her eyes to the bandages she was wrapping around his arm, but he could notice she was blushing again, "I was thinking that maybe, if it's okay with you, well, maybe I should stay… you know, to keep an eye on you…"_

_Under the mask – and feeling grateful for having it -, Kakashi pressed his lips together, thinking how much he wanted to hear something like that from her, and how wrong could that be. He was no fool, and lying to himself was not a habit he cultivated. _

"_You don't have to do that, Sakura."_

"_I want to!" She captured his glance with her green eyes. "Since I'm leaving… I wish we could spend some time together…"_

_Kakashi said nothing. He remained still, watching her as he felt gentle fingers approaching his face, running through his silver hair, resting in his clothed neck. _

"_Sakura…"_

"_I'll miss you so much…!" _

"_Don't…"_

_Kakashi knew he wanted her to stay. He wanted to be with her. Keep her close. Embrace her and protect her. Sleep in peace, knowing she was just there, a few inches away. Oh, he wanted that so much that his chest hurt, and was fighting against himself, against that impulse, that feeling in his through, that thought telling him he should say "yes", just "yes", and shelter this girl with his arms around her. He wanted her, and that was all. _

_And also wasn't. _

_He saw the amazing things she did, and how great she could be. The great ninja she could be. She was an apprentice, and had been for only a couple months, and yet… she took care of him, she fixed his arm, she learned so much! She was growing, not only physically, but in power, in knowledge. She was not only smart, he always knew she was smart; she was talented. Sakura had finally found her place in the ninja world, and it suited her really well. _

_And she did all by herself. _

"_You don't want me to stay?" She was looking at him in great expectation._

"_I don't." Kakashi glanced at the window, pretending something outside had caught his attention. _

"_But…" She didn't proceed. Silence fell between them, but Kakashi could hear even her slightest move. He knew she was holding her tears. _

"_This is wrong, Sakura…!"_

"_Wrong? How can you…?"_

"_Yes." He turned to face her, and found Sakura still seated on his bed, confusion showing on her face. "We are friends, and, as your friend, I should never stay between you and your training… or missions…"_

"_What are you talking about…?"_

"_You are feeling like you shouldn't go", he used his right hand to raise her chin, like he had done before many times, and looked into her eyes, "aren't you?"_

"_I don't know…"_

"_And because of me…" He sighed. "The way you are feeling now…"_

_Kakashi hesitated, the issue he was about to bring making him feel uncomfortable. _

"_Sakura…" His hand left her chin, since he didn't mind if she would rather look in another direction. However, she kept her glance on him. "You are young, and you may think you have feelings for me… you may think that what we have is more than a friendship."_

"_Oh" A wave of hit took her face, her cheeks getting unbelievably red. She immediately lowered her eyes to her lap._

"_The thing is, Sakura, that you are probably feeling lonely. And I would hate if you turned out to do something… well, when we are feeling like this, we may even take a simple friendship for something else…"_

"_Right. You are right." She suddenly was again standing by the bed, now looking at him from above. "I should probably go. You... you let me know if you need me, ok?"_

"_Of course." Again the mask hid Kakashi's expression, one that could be described as disappointed. "Thank you again. You were great, Sakura."_

"_Any time." She risked a few steps back, until she was able to sense the door behind her. "I'll come by before I leave, to see how the arm is going…"_

"_Oh, I'll be fine…"_

"_Good night, Kakashi-sensei…"_

"_Good night, Sakura"_

_The door hadn't even closed completely, and Kakashi already regretted his words. _

"Your position as Sakura's former teacher, that is."

Tsunade stared at him with narrow eyes: "You still feel responsible for her, don't you?"

"Yes", Kakashi answered promptly, "and yes, that's why I'm here."

"You have nothing to do with the missions I give her… I respect your concern, but, as Hokage, I must do what is best so missions can be accomplished…"

"I understand that."

"But here you are…"

"I understand Sakura is needed in this mission."

Tsunade sighed: "Go on, Kakashi… Just do it."

"Do what?"

"Just ask me what you came here to ask…"

"You guessed already…"

Tsunade smiled. Yes, her old Sarutobi-sensei was right. Once she asked him what was the hardest thing about being a Hokage. She remembers the old man didn't even blink before answering: _"The fact that, in some situations, you must say 'no'."_

Oh, that Sandaime Hokage was _always_ right…

* * *

Asuma lighted a cigarette. It was his fifth in the last hour, and he was glad he could count on _them_. After all, a long waiting was something he didn't appreciated, to say the least, and smoking had been his only consolation so far.

"_She does that on purpose, of course…!"_

This thought had been torturing him for the last half an hour. In his humble life experience, no one could be _a whole hour_ late by accident.

"Women…", he muttered to himself.

Kurenai was the woman in question. To his best knowledge, she was in her apartment upstairs, changing her daily clothes for an outfit that would suit better their plans of dinner in a nice restaurant. However, considering the time this simple task was taking, Asuma feared they wouldn't find any place open this late at night. Looking at the sky, he could tell it was midnight already.

If he was waiting for anybody else, Asuma would be gone after the first fifteen minutes. Problem was, it wasn't anybody else. It was _her_. For as impatient as he was, it took nothing but a second to remember her face, her eyes, her rare and incredible smile, and all thoughts of leaving would go away. How could he? Specially that night. In little more then twenty four hours he would be preparing to go on another mission, one that would take no less than a month, and who knows when he would see Kurenai again? He was confident he would come back – eventually. But by the time he would be back, maybe she was the one that would be gone… Missions, training, attacks… Ninja cannot count on that thing ordinary people call "the next time". Because for ninjas, it may never come.

So absorbed was Asuma on those thoughts, that he didn't even noticed a figure that watched him in the shadows. Cautious and silent, this one approached without being seen. And when Asuma finally sensed a presence, it was already positioned behind his back.

"What the…?", the jounin turned and jumped, his blades in position. He looked around, searching for others; finding none, he focused on the one that had surprised him: "Oh, it's you…"

Asuma sighed in relief, putting the weapons down.

"You are always so careless!" Kakashi moved to the light, looking less cool then usually.

"We are inside the village, in case you didn't realize."

"That's no excuse."

Not that Asuma wasn't use to have Kakashi appearing from no where behind his back, but he was sure he had sensed something else, something that had signed an alert inside him. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was something strange about him.

"You are definitely insane."

"Insane? A little crazy, perhaps."

Asuma took a few seconds to examine Kakashi from a distance, enough time to notice that, under the sleeve, Kakashi's left arm was wrapped in bandages, and immobilized. It was also obvious that his nose too was hurt, visibly swollen. And his eye… He looked disturbed, somehow.

"Ah… Gai really got you this time, didn't he?"

"What, this?" He quickly glanced at his own arm, and sighed as it was a subject he was tired of going into. "Minor injure… I could fight him today, if he wanted to…"

"Right. Whatever." Asuma returned his blades to his belt. "You two deserve each other, I guess. However, I'm not up to fighting games today."

"Waiting for Kurenai?"

Asuma shook his head in a disapproving gesture, while reaching for another cigarette. "You know I am! Why do you keep doing those silly questions? It's not easy as it is, and we even have to endure people making comments…"

"I'm sorry."

The cigarette fell from Asuma's open mouth. He couldn't believe his ears: did Kakashi apologize?

"What?" The Copy Ninja was offering the cigarette back to his colleague, since he had rescued it before it touched the ground. "Don't look so surprise. You are making me think that I've never said 'sorry' to anybody…"

"Not to anybody _I_ know, at least." Smoke came out from his mouth as he spoke. "Well, not like you mean it, anyway…"

"I meant it. I _am _sorry. You are right, things are already too complicated, and you guys don't need to hear stupid jokes…"

"Now you're freaking me out! Stop, I'm starting to think you are a _henge_!"

Under the mask, Kakashi smirked. "Don't worry. This is not a jutsu… Guess that people are always changing, right?"

"Yes, they are…"

Kakashi had changed before, even Asuma could remember it pretty well. When Obito died, and Kakashi got that sharingan. He was never the same. But than, that was expected; no one sees a teammate, a _friend_, dieing in front of you and remains the same. Now, now something else was happening to the Copy Ninja. The end of his team, his students leaving, yes, again life was not generous on Kakashi. One could almost feel sorry for him…

"Asuma", Kakashi called, "Sakura told me she is going on a mission… with your team."

"_Oh, so _that_ is what this is about…!_"

Since the beginning, Asuma was unsure about Sakura going with them. She had no problems with the kunoichi, and actually thought she was intelligent and capable. A few weeks ago, when Ino brought Sakura to join their training sessions, he was even surprised to see she had improved a lot, and her qualities as medic-nin were many. Things were more than ok, until the Hokage called him in her office.

"_I have a mission for your team, Asuma." _

_She was in a bad mood:_

"_So, of course, don't say no!"_

"_I would never think about denying a mission gave by you, Hokage-sama!"_

"_Hm… Good to know…"_

_Even though she didn't look like she was glad to hear it. _

"_What can I do for you, Hokage-sama?" Asuma probably wasn't the most talented and strong ninja in Konoha, but he was good with words. He had never been with Tsunade when she was irritated or angry, but he could guess that she would prefer to just explain the mission and be left alone. _

"_You can go on this mission and do it right; that would be a change! I've send two other teams already, and they all returned with a failure on their hands!" _

_Now Asuma could understand it better. There was nothing worst for a ninja village than failing a mission, and the Hokage was responsible for that. After all, she was the one giving the missions, and choosing the best team or ninja for each one. In a way, a failure could mean she had done a bad choice… twice!_

"_I will not fail, Hokage-sama. My team is doing well, and sure…"_

"_Your team can't do it."_

"_Sorry… what?" He made his best to not sound irritated, but he couldn't avoid some emotion on his voice._

"_Yes… your team will not be enough…" She didn't pay any attention to Asuma's offended feelings. "This mission requires a medical ninja, and I don't think any one on your team is a medical ninja, right?"_

"_No… I mean, yes, right, no medical ninjas on the team." He showed her a puzzled expression: "Then why…?"_

"_Yes, why send your team? Here it is: you are going to do a protection mission. Can you do that?"_

"_Of course!" He scratched his beard. "But protect who? Who is the client?"_

"_Sakura."_

"_Sakura… You mean Haruno Sakura, Kakashi's student?"_

"_Kakashi's _former _student!" She corrected with great emphasis. "My student now, as you know. A medical ninja."_

"_Yes, but for no more than a couple months…"_

"_Please, let me explain the mission."_

_Asuma sighed._

"_Sure, Hokage-sama… I'm all ears…"_

Asuma wasn't naïve, and he knew that Kakashi wouldn't be happy to hear that Sakura, the remaining member of his old team seven, was going on a long mission… Now he could understand the strange feeling he had when the Copy Ninja appeared: Kakashi was furious. Nothing strange about it, considering what happened the last time members of his team went on a mission without him.

"Yes, we are going on a mission… Look, Kakashi, I'm a ninja, and sometimes I've to do what I'm told. I didn't _ask_ for this one."

"I know you didn't."

"Now, if you ask me, I would tell you to go to the Hokage, and just ask _her_ permission to join us on this one…"

"I already did."

"And…?"

Kakashi took a long breath: "She said no." He nodded his head in a vague gesture. "She said that I was injured, and the mission couldn't be delayed. And also, that Sakura needed to learn…"

"How to handle things on her own, without you?" And on seeing Kakashi's surprised look, Asuma proceeded: "No, the Hokage never _told_ me that… But it is quite obvious."

"Really?"

"Don't get me wrong, please! I think you were good with those kids! You did a great job! I mean, they were great on that chuunin exam, more than anyone could expect…"

"Just say it."

"Okay." Again Asuma looked at his colleague, unable to tell for sure what was going inside that mind. Kakashi was always so… mysterious! It could get into your nerves. "Sometimes Sakura goes to our training sessions. I'm glad to have her; she is a good girl, and a good ninja. However…"

Asuma glanced at Kakashi, wondering if what he was about to say could offend him.

"Go on, Asuma…"

"I've been around, Kakashi. I saw a few things in my life, and not just _ninja_ life. And I know you've been through a lot, and Sakura has also been through a lot… but you should be careful, Kakashi."

Throwing away the filter of his already finished cigarette, Asuma reached for another one, just to realize he was out of cigarettes.

"Damn!"

"Finish what you were saying."

"Okay…" Kakashi was staring at him, not with his usually cool expression, but with a cold one. "Like I said, you should be careful. I know you want to be there for her, and be her friend, but she is a teenager! You know how young girls are…"

"Actually, no. Enlighten me."

Asuma smirked.

"I was just trying to help you understand Tsunade's decision, fool! Just trying to say that I _thought _she wanted Sakura to depend less on you… and for the girl to forget a little about the terrible things that happened." He took a serious expression. "But you know what?"

"I'm sure you are going to tell me…"

"Yes, I will…! You know what? Now I don't think she did it for Sakura at all… I think she did it because of you. Because you are such a mess right now, because you can't even remember what this ninja life is all about…" He paused for a second, and proceeded in a lower tone: "You have to find your way again, Kakashi, and Sakura is not the answer."

Kakashi's only visible eyebrow moved to sign that the Copy Ninja didn't take well Asuma's last remark:

"You should be more careful with those insinuations…"

"What is going on here?" A feminine, deep voice asked in a high volume.

Kurenai had just arrived, and was standing on the last step of the stairs behind them. She was wearing an astonishing red dress, one that revealed her shoulders and most of her back. The vision was so unusual and beautiful that both male jounins weren't able to say a word of response to her question.

"Well…?", she insisted.

"Nothing going on", Asuma answered, "nothing important, anyway."

"Yes, that's right." Kakashi waved his head to Kurenai, a quick greeting. "I was just leaving."

"Really? You two seemed to be in the middle of something…"

"Like Asuma said, nothing important." Kakashi sighed. "Oh, well, I better get going… I have so much to do! You guys enjoy your dinner. Good night, Kurenai. Good night, Asuma… and good luck with your mission." He left in a cloud of sudden smoke.

Kurenai turned to Asuma: "Are you going to tell me?"

"Well", he smiled, "I would say 'no', but there are a couple things you can do that can make me change my mind."

From the top of the building, Kakashi could see Asuma and Kurenai holding hands.

* * *

_**Month 2, day 3** _

The sun had yet to rise, and Sakura was already walking the streets of Konoha. And because of an unlikely coincidence, not alone.

"Hurry up, Sakura, we are going to be late!"

"Ah, I'm going as fast as I can!" She gave an annoyed look to her companion. "And what is the matter with being a few minutes late?"

Sakura and Ino had met moments ago, when Sakura took a detour from the faster and shorter way from her home to the team meeting point, on Konoha's gates. On account of a last minute change of heart, she had decided to stop by on Kakashi's apartment, and say a proper goodbye. She hadn't seen her former sensei since she helped him with his injures, and, that last time, she had promised a visit before leaving. Even though she had no idea of what to say, Sakura knew she could at least exam his arm to see if it was getting better. However, that wasn't by far the reason that took her there.

Truth was, Sakura was very confused. As things were, she was having trouble to figure out what was Kakashi's place in her life… and in her heart. He was no longer her sensei, as both he and Tsunade had made it clear to her. She was the _Hokage_'s student, now. Kakashi? A friend, they had agreed on that, but things didn't go as planned. They were friends, all right, but then… then, she felt like more than that. Like she wanted more. Why not? He was nice, he was handsome, he was gentle… all that in one man. _Man._

Maybe that was the problem. Things were never a problem when they were alone, when they could talk to each other, when he was just _Kakashi_. But then, then were the moments where he _had to be _the sensei – even though he insisted he wasn't her teacher anymore. She knew what was like: he would look at her, and remember she was still a _girl_. A girl! Sakura didn't feel like a girl, not in many ways. She had seen death, she had lost friends, she had even been through the painful _first love_… Why couldn't they see her as more than just a girl?

Sakura had no idea what she felt about Kakashi, but she was sure people would tell her to forget about it. Even _he_ did, didn't he? "_We may even take a simple friendship for something else…"_, that's what he said. That was mean, really mean! How could he just discard her feelings like that? It was worst than Sasuke telling to her face he didn't like her… At least Sasuke told her how he felt. Now, Kakashi… he just assumed that her feelings were just confused, and that she didn't know _what she was doing_! Oh, how could he? Always, always looking at her as the girl to be protected.

Yes, but there were also his touch, his embrace, his voice, things that would bring peace, reassurance, and the need for more. More of _him_. All those moments she had his arms around her, her body pressed against his… oh, she felt things she had never felt before. Or the way he believed on her, on her skills, on her talent. How many times had she felt tired, or felt the urge of just quit, and his words came to her mind? Kakashi saying she could do it. And she feeling like she could.

When Sakura knocked on his door, all she wanted was for Kakashi to tell he was going to miss her. Tell her she could do it, and that things were going to be all right. And then, she wanted him to take her into his arms, so she could feel his chest sheltering her, his hands touching her hair, his voice coming through his mask, saying: "Be back soon; I'll be here for you."

He wasn't home.

Or, maybe, he didn't want to open the door.

Ino found her seated on a bench, near the bridge Team Seven used as meeting point. The blond kunoichi asked nothing; she just reminded Sakura it was time to go.

They walked together, but Sakura was so distracted that was constantly left behind by dynamic Ino, causing the blond to complain:

"Hurry up, Sakura, we are going to be late!"

"Ah, I'm going as fast as I can!" She gave an annoyed look to her companion. "And what is the matter with being a few minutes late?"

Ino sighed, wishing that Sakura's strange mood wouldn't last for the whole mission.

"Asuma-sensei hates to wait! More than ten minutes, and he will go without us!"

"Don't worry, Ino! We are still early."

"Don't worry? You say that because you don't know…"

They turned the corner, just to find Konoha's gate, and no one there waiting, except for Chouji.

"Finally", the boy said, "I was starting to wonder if this was the right place."

"Maybe you should wonder what happened to Asuma-sensei…"

Having nothing else to do, the three genin sat on the ground.

* * *

On his way to the meeting point, with a fifteen minutes walk ahead of him, and twenty minutes before the stipulated hour, Asuma lighted his first cigarette of the day.

"Isn't too early on the day for that?" A familiar voice came from some place above.

Asuma simply enjoyed the first smoke inhaled, and slowly breathed it out of his lungs. Satisfied with that, he said, facing no direction in particular: "Isn't too late for you to be wondering around town?"

"You should quit", was the answer Asuma got. "Smoking, that is."

"Go home, Kakashi."

Asuma walked a few steps, until that, in a sudden move, Kakashi appeared in front of him and blocked his way.

"I'm not in my best mood, Kakashi… I kindly ask you to get out of my way, or prepare to be moved."

A discernable laugh came from under the mask: "You are getting me wrong, Asuma…! I'm not here looking for trouble."

"Glad to hear it. Now, please, _move_!"

A few seconds passed with both ninjas in complete immobility. Asuma watched Kakashi, the masked face giving no clue of what was going on with the Copy Ninja. He threw the cigarette on the ground, waiting for an answer.

Kakashi stepped aside, giving space for Asuma to walk, what he immediately did. Inside his chest, a relief; there was nothing worst than start the day with a useless fight. However, he had left Kakashi no more than ten feet behind when he heard:

"Take care of her, will you?"

With Kakashi on his back, Asuma felt free to smile widely.

"That's my mission, fool!"

"Is that a promise?"

Finally, Asuma turned to face his fellow jounin. In a way, he could understand what Kakashi was going through. He too had people he cared about; he too had lost friends and family; he too had hands full of blood, blood that sometimes kept him from a night of peaceful sleep. They were both ninjas, trapped in that human condition that so many times caused pain.

So, yes, he understood.

"Yeah, it's a promise… What else?" He assumed a grave expression. "I'll protect her with my life."

"Thank you, Asuma."

"You are welcome, my friend."

Kakashi bowed:

"And I'll never forget this… my friend."

* * *

"Asuma-sensei, you are late!" Chouji shouted at the first sight of his leader.

"Hey, hey, easy… I'm late?"

"Yes, you are! _Five_ minutes late!"

"All that? Gee, I guess you're right… I'm sorry, guys, but this friend crossed my way…"

"_Baka_!" Ino accused. "That's a lie!"

Sakura smiled to herself, watching such a familiar scene. Not many things could make her feel better at that moment, but the silly argument brought good memories.

"Sakura, lets go!" Asuma was calling from the other side of the gate.

She glanced at Konoha one last time, thinking that maybe Naruto and Sasuke did the same when they left, months ago.

_"But I'll be back. No matter what, I'll be back." _

* * *

From the top of the Hokage's building, Kakashi waved a silent goodbye, one that was never seen. And then, the only remaining member of Team Seven sighed:

"Now, to work."

* * *

Hope you liked.

What you guys thought about this Asuma I wrote? I like him a lot, the character, and I hope I was faithful to the idea.

So, as you see, this is the end of something: not the story, but of a part of the story. Now, Kakashi and Sakura will be apart for a little while – not too long, of course, I couldn't take it.

Next chapter, maybe a few ghosts from the past will make an appearance… And I'm still hoping I can find a place for Genma and Anko, two of my favorite characters who haven't shown yet…

Tx for being here!


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